A Whore by Any Other Name

Miriam A Marvin

Deviant Blogging

Sociology 360

Professor Williams

A Whore by Any Other Name

There are quite a few words in the English language that have multiple meanings and connotations and some are being reclaimed by the group which they refer to. Whore is one of the words which has not been attempted to redefined or re-appropriated. In the available definitions, not once was a positive light placed upon whore or the person being described by it. Whore has always been used with the intent of belittling or shaming the person to whom it is being applied. Being a whore not only implies the exchange of sex for monetary gain, but also that the person is able to be bought and immoral. Always used as a demeaning word the intent in any context is intended to hurt or embarrass the recipient. Much like the word tra**y, this is a word that should be retired from every day usage. 

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, whore is defined as: 1. A woman who engages in sexual acts for money; 2. A man who engages in sexual acts for money; 3. A venal or unscrupulous person (2012). Aside from the obvious of accepting monetary compensation for sexual acts, this also implies that the person performing the acts is immoral and lacking integrity. As the attributes of a whore are so negative, it would seem this word would not be likely used in today's society, because we (society as a whole) have progressed so far, right? Okay, sure. If you believe that, I have beachfront property in Arizona to sell you, too. Perhaps this would be an opportune time to explore the history of the word. 

Whore first appears in the Bible, referencing the Whore of Babylon. According to Got Questions Ministries, she is "....the great harlot who sits on many waters , with whom the kings of the earth commit fornication.....made drunk with the wine of her fornication" (2002). This article describing the whore of Babylon sums it up as such: "The whore of Babylon is an evil world system, controlled by the Antichrist, during the last days before Jesus' return.... also has religious connotations - spiritual adultery with the beast being the focus of an ungodly, end-times religious system" (2002). If these interpretations are taken apart, the religious take on whores is that they are the root of evil and the undoing of men. To have the whore related to the Antichrist in such a direct manner was quite shocking. Vagina, apparently, is one of the main causes of the end of the world. A woman is capable of intoxicating the great kings or leaders of the world and distracting them from a holy path. As history progresses, the connotation stands still, seemingly in defiance of every movement to the contrary. 

The etymology of the word whore is quite interesting. In old English, the closest word was hore and only included persons who actually were trading sexual contact for money. The original base was qar, which was later used in old English to create carus or dear and used in Irish as cara or friend. German influence found its' way into the language, and the negative aspects of the word emerged encompassing any person engaging in what was deemed "loose" sex in its wake. The article Whore and Whoreson (2012) cited instances where the word whore was avidly avoided or forbidden to be used because of the offensive nature of the word as far back as the 1930's by the Motion Picture Association. This has been a loaded word with a negative meaning for quite some time. 

 

In other languages, the word whore has no positive meaning. In Spanish, for instance, the word puta is translated as prostitute or whore. The word puta does not only refer to a woman with allegedly loose morals. The website Language Realm states that in the Spanish language, it also becomes a common explicative used to say equivalencies of mother fu**er and son of a bi**h. Speaking Spanish myself, I know firsthand that this word can mean f**k and d**m just as easily as whore. While they may not have the same meaning all of the time, the feelings expressed with these words remain offensive much like the word of the day. 

 

In The Whore Mythology, a television show found on Showtime entitled Gigolos is mentioned. This show explores the various daily tasks and activities of the life of a male prostitute or gigolo. The author states ..."Image the popularity of such a show featuring female escorts and everyone thinking it starts to twitch." "...the word 'whore' breaks land-speed records in coming out of everyone's mouths" (Gwynn 2012). This is, unfortunately, all too true. It is socially acceptable for men to have as many sexual encounters with as many women as they see fit and this is commendable behavior. When a women engages in the same acts with the same number of people, she is seen as a dirty whore and the behavior is reprehensible. The most obvious difference is that in society, men are given a greater value and worth than women are. As discussed in class on Thursday February 23, 2012 this is in large part because women are the party being penetrated, thus their behaviors are dirtier and worse. Apparently penetration is such an important factor that it determines the value of the sexual acts. Being penetrated makes you the subordinate party and therefore the lesser party while being the penetratee makes you superior and immune to judgments over your sexual acts/conquests. 

 

Currently, whore is used to describe a woman who exchanges sexual acts for monetary items as well as a person who over indulges in anything. Some examples of this would be a shoe whore, referring to a person who has an abundance of shoes, or an attention whore referring to a person who goes to extreme lengths to obtain the attention of all those around them. Using the word in these contexts makes little to no sense, as this would imply the person has given a part of themselves in exchange for the item. In this instance, a shoe whore would have to exchange sexual acts for the shoes which they possess. An attention whore would exchange sex for the attention, which arguably may happen but this is not the case for every person accused of being an attention whore. The word is being used today out of context with all of the negative implications being misdirected to draw attention to another type of behavior. 

The connotation of the word whore began negative and shame laden and remains essentially unchanged today. The word is only spoken or used to convey disapproval and cause the recipient to feel shameful of their actions or behaviors. As stated by Chloe in the article regarding reclaiming "slut", "One of the most effective ways to fight hate is to disarm the derogatory terms employed by haters, embracing them and giving them positive connotations" (2011). Slut has been utilized as a milder form of the word whore, meant to convey the person is sleeping around in a manner which is inappropriate and considered "slutty". While reclaiming the word slut is a wonderful movement, whore is a bit more complicated, as the first thought associated with this word is exchanging of sexual acts for some type of compensation. The movement to reclaim slut has made no mention whatsoever of the word whore, keeping them separate. It would seem that not only are those deemed whores undesirable to society, the word itself remains unclaimed and untouched like an abandoned rabid animal. 

 

Another type of words that should simply not be used outside of their intended context is called Ableist language. An article published by Bitch Media states that "... there is a plethora of words which rely on a shared assumption that to be disabled is inherently bad, inherently less than a person without a disability, inherently unworthy of attention, consideration or care" (2009). This is a very solid statement, as it clearly outlines how using this type of language is the dehumanization of the group affected. While whore (considered to be an achieved quality) is not related to an ascribed quality such as a disability, the negative connotations are very much the same. A whore is treated and seen as less than anyone without this label and they also inherit a large amount of assumptions which come with the label handed to them. 

 

These assumptions can be anything from all women and men deemed whores sell their bodies to all women and men deemed whores have an abundance of sexually transmitted diseases. Erich Goode quoted Erving Goffman as such: "the stigmatized are 'disqualified from full social acceptance.' They have been reduced 'from a whole and usual person to a tainted, discounted one'"(1996). This is very true of any person who has received the stigma of a whore. Even if it is only within a subgroup of larger society, the person may be ostracized from the group with which they felt most comfortable in. Creating distance is the only way for the remainder of society to remain free of the negative stigmas of the "other" group. This is very similar to the way people as a whole deal with any individual or group labeled as different. By making them seem or feel as though they are less than, they will perhaps either change the behavior or simply hide it better. This shaming approach to behavior modification is doing more harm than good. Perhaps as time moves forward, society will catch up.

Word Count: 1584

Works Cited

Chloe(2011). A Few words about reclamining slut. Retrieved from http://feministing.com/2011/05/16/a-few-words-about-reclaiming-%E2%80%9Cslut %E2%80%9D/

Got Questions. (2002-2012). Retrieved from http://www.gotquestions.org/whore-Babylon

Gwynn, M. (2012). The "Whore" Mythology. Retrieved from http://www.examiner.com/sex-and- relationships-in-san-antonio/the-whore-mythology

Jean, A. (2009). The Transcontinental Disability Choir: What is Ableist Language and Why Should You Care?. Retrieved from http://bitchmagazine.org/post/the-transcontinental-disability-choir-what- is-ableist-language-and-why-should-you-care

Puta. (n.d.). In Language Realm. Retrieved from http://www.languagerealm.com/spanish/puta/php

Thio, A., Calhoun, T. C., & Conyers, A. (2010). Readings in Deviant Behavior (6th ed.). Pg. 163. Boston, Mass: Allyn & Bacon.

Whore. (2001-2012). In Online Etymoogy Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.etymologyonline.com/index.php?term=whore

Whore. (2012). In Merriam Webster. Retrieved from

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whore

Whore and Shoreson. (n.d.). In JRank Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/articles/pages/842/Whore-and-Whoreson.html

Film Review Two- Murderball

1. The main thesis of this film was that being in a wheel chair or having a physical impairment does not automatically make you disabled by definition.

2. The main arguments in support of this thesis were examples of the lives of the men in the video. They were able to dress themselves, go to the grocery store, have sex, and all other types of activities. The only thing which was unattainable was the ability to walk. The sport of Quad-Rugby, deemed Murderball in its' origination, requires a great deal of skill, agility, and psychical ability. The sport itself seems to be the exact opposite of the term/label "disabled".

3. The thesis of the film relates to the course as it completely obliterated many of the stereotypes and beliefs regarding persons in wheel chairs. It challenged the very definition of able bodied, as there are many allegedly able bodied persons who would find Quad-Rugby very challenging. Also, there is the assumption that all persons in a wheel chair wish that they could walk. This may be the case for the first few years, but in time a certain level of acceptance sets in. Not every person who cannot do something wishes that they could.

4. The arguments I found most convincing were the stories the men themselves had to tell. There are so many stigmatized beliefs about those who have been deemed "disabled" and this film was constantly showing why this belief is inaccurate. In the very beginning of the film, Mark Zupan was shown fully dressing himself. This is something even I had not thought plausible by a person in a wheel chair. The movie also allows for your own beliefs and assumptions to be addressed.

5. There was not any one point of this film which was not interesting or relevant to the thesis.

6. If I were to conduct a research study, it would have to be in regards to adjusting to live in a wheel chair within the first year. I would want to learn what made the process easier, and which factors hindered it. Did large amounts of moral support play a role? If someone was left to their own devices and coping mechanisms, would they have a favorable outcome? How did the reason for their needing a wheel chair factor into their initial recovery?

Film Review One

Miriam A Marvin

Film Review 1 – Middle Sexes Redefining 'he' and 'she'

Soc 360

Professor Williams

1. The thesis of the film was that all people, regardless of their gender identification, were human beings and deserved to be treated and regarded as such.

2. The main arguments in support of the thesis all showed examples of acceptance or of fear leading behaviors. Noah was a good example, as his parents only wanted him to have a good life. Noah's mother contradicted all of the religious arguments with one simple statement: “ I can't believe in a God that doesn't have love for Noah”.

Judy, who later became Max, is another good example. Max's intersex identity was kept from him while growing up, which led to many complications. Once he requested medical records from his doctor and discovered he was intersex, a lot of things became more clear. Has this condition not been dehumanized, Max would have known sooner and could have received the gender identification he chose, not one which was given to him in an attempt to make things easier.

In each and every situation and country which the film visited, there was the reoccurring theme that regardless of why someone is a transgender man or woman, that they are still deserving of respect. Western Culture is very strict and rigid in their beliefs and concepts of right and wrong. The only to country which remained untouched by western ideals was the only country which was accepting of variations- Bangkok, Thailand.

3. The thesis of this film relates to the course quite well as it addressed quite a few of the topics and discussions we have had in class. It all comes down to the fact that deviant people make other, non deviant people uncomfortable and thus must be made to feel badly about themselves. Society expects everyone to fit inside of their box, and when you don't it bothers them. This all points very clearly back to the fact that deviations are socially constructed, as are the consequences.

4. The arguments I found most convincing were:

- The findings of the Dutch Institute of Brain Research; the discovery that the central brain can have a gender identification separate from that of the external genitalia.

- Indian Weddings are a way for men to meet up and release tensions- male male sexual encounters are normal

- The Hizra of India- a subculture devoted to allowing transgender women to live peacefully amongst themselves.

- The Katoi of Bangkok- not only socially accepted, but revered as well.

5. I did not find any of the arguments presented in the film to be non convincing or relevant to the discussion.

6. The argument which stood out the most to me was everything the Katoi send and everything that societal acceptance represents. I would study this by examining the social constructs which make the intersex individuals of Bangkok acceptable in Thailand, but not in America and other Western influenced countries. I would want to determine how this is currently viewed in America and what the attitudes surrounding it are.

It would also require obtaining uninfluenced opinions of the intersex community, as well as if the popularization/infamy of the Katoi had any effect on the level of acceptance demonstrated.

I could not BELIVE this

While looking through you tube, I found a video which is completely appalling. This clearly shows that racism is alive and well in America today, perhaps even more than ever now. As much as what was said makes me physically ill, I felt the subject matter was appropriate to our discussions thus far in class.

Am I a Deviant?

Miriam A Marvin

Blog Post 2

Soc 360

Professor Williams

Part One: Am I a Deviant?

I have always known I was deviant, since I was quite young. In elementary school, my deviance was based largely upon my economic status. I knew that because my clothes came from Wal-Mart opposed to the mall and because my mom gave me a rat tail hair cut I was seen as less than or apart from my peers. My mother did not have a pleasant upbringing and this shaped how she raised me. The unorthodox means by which I was raised later led to my being placed in foster care. It took me quite awhile to realize that I do not have to be what was expected or become what I was labeled. There is academic proof that our upbringing and conceptual reality do not have to shape our future but they play an important role.

Howard Becker's labeling theory(1963), which states that the labels we are given in life can become self fulfilling prophecies, very easily applies to my situation. As soon as I was placed in foster care, I was treated differently. There were some who pitied me and acted as though I had a debilitating disease and others who acted as though the reasons which led to my being placed in foster care were contagious. The general consensus was, however, that I was a freak and unwanted by my own parents thus I must be a bad person. I acted this out by skipping school, fighting and other mischievous activities.

This fits well with the theory that anyone has the potential to become their label. This was clearly shown in Howard Becker's The Outsiders (1963) in which the Saints came from the right part of town and obtained jobs and acted out the labels they were given. The Roughnecks, similarly, acted the part of their “bad boy” label. Both groups were participating in the same criminal/deviant behaviors as adolescents, but because of the labels they were assigned, the groups were treated very differently by the public and law enforcement as well. The Saints could easily talk or buy their way out of trouble, while the Roughnecks were generally punished for their misdeeds. This shaped their adult lives as well, as the majority of the Saints went on to achieve middle and upper class jobs, while many of the Roughnecks ended up in prison or addicted to substances. Clearly, the labels given by society can define who you are and who you will become, if you let them.

The second theory which best explains my deviance is Differential Association, as explained by Sutherland & Cressey. This theory implies that our behaviors and value systems are learned from those persons closest to us. We can learn how to think, behave, and interpret the world around us. This can be beneficial or harmful, depending upon the persons from which the behaviors are learned. In my case, I learned from the girls in the foster care system who had already been in the system for awhile and learned various coping mechanisms, or means of dealing with their situation and the feelings associated with it. These girls taught me how to run away, and how to survive effectively as possible while on the run. It took quite awhile for me to realize that these girls were significant in my life as they had already learned to deal with the feelings and situation in which I had found myself. I looked to them for advice on how to cope with canceled visitations with my mother or with abusive foster parents. The lessons taught were all to my detriment, but at the time it seemed like the most valuable information available to me. It all goes back to the age old cliché, “If only I knew then what I know now”.

This realization hit again while I was reading Mary E Gilfus' study From Victims to Survivors to Offenders (1992). In the study, Gilfus interviewed 20 women of varying race and offenses which landed them in prison. Of these women, Gilfus found that all of the women came from homes in which abuse was prevalent in all forms. The women in the study stole, sold themselves and other criminal activities to support themselves while on the run. In time, most of the women turned to drugs to cope. Another commonality between the women was their tendency to turn towards abusive relationships and stay in them out of a distorted sense of loyalty and love. The men to which they formed such strong attachments would beat them and belittle them, but they stayed because they felt it was true love. This tended to come from a lifetime of abuse, running away, and being brought back.

This study was difficult for me to read, as these points hit home. I watched my mother stay in relationships which were verbally and physically abusive. As I began to date, I walked right into the same types of relationships. My mother had relayed the message that love was shown by physical violence, and I took that lesson and ran with it. While this is not a pleasant example of Differential Association, it is a strong example. My mother was who I looked to for an example of how to live, love and interact with people. Even a bad message can be relayed just as quickly and strong as a positive one.

Another example of Differential Association was shown by Julian Sher (2010), when she discussed the epidemic of young girls being forced, coerced and generally tricked into sexual slavery. These young girls run away from home to escape the horrors they have encountered there, and run right into a pimp who gives them a false sense of security and belonging. These men then convinced or sometimes forced the girls into selling their bodies to support the “family”. This alleged family was the group of other girls and the pimps themselves. As horrifying and ugly as these acts are, the pimps become the most significant person in the girl's lives, and these men are teaching them all of the wrong things. Similar to my example, it clearly shows the damage the wrong lessons can do to a young girl.

Part Two: My Deviant Act

For my deviant act, I wore pajama bottoms (fuzzy white ones with pink polka dots), tennis shoes, and a white, fuzzy bathrobe. I wore this outfit to school, as it has been instilled that we should dress for school as we would for work. To further the deviation from societal norms, I made a point to fix my hair very well and apply my make-up as though I was wearing a dress. I did not want there to be any misunderstanding that my outfit was an accident, to simply be chalked up to lack of time. In short, I was a hot mess.

When I first arrived at school, I received quite a few funny looks and people who stared and laughed. The hardest part of this activity was trying to keep a straight face when people would literally stop in their tracks. I went to both of my classes dressed the same way, and received quite a few odd looks. My psychology professor kept looking at me as though I was in the middle of a psychotic episode. It was a lot of fun, as the reactions were so varied.

Some students/faculty tried to act as though they did not see me, or to stare covertly. I saw a lot of the back side of text books, to say the least. Overall, though, the most fun I had was in the cafeteria. The students eating their lunches seemed confused and bemused by my outfit. This is where one student asked me why in the world I was wearing pajamas. I simply replied I wanted to be comfortable and able to take a good nap in my car between classes.

There was no benefit or harm to my outfit, other than being very comfortable all day. Being deviant so overtly was quite funny, and I found myself laughing all throughout the day. The reactions of other students and faculty were not rude, just very confused. It was interesting to me that social norms prohibited people from asking me why I decided to wear my pajamas to school. The one student who did seemed very nervous during our conversation, as though I may just lose my mind and curse them out for asking. While this would never have happened, I realized there are some situations in which addressing someone's differences can make the person addressing them just as uncomfortable as the perceived deviant.

This was a concept I had not considered, that the reason deviants are segregated and demonized are because we make people uncomfortable. Society as a whole does not know how to act, what should or shouldn't be said in our presence, and what our reaction to them will be. I have always known I was deviant, but I never even briefly entertained the idea that I make others unsure of themselves. This makes me wonder how much everything could change if people just took the time to get to know each other, on both ends of the spectrum.

Word Count: 1,544

References

Gilfus, M. E. (1992). From Victims to Survivors to Offenders: Women's Routes of Entry and Immersion into Street Crime. Women and Criminal Justice, 4(), 63-89. Retrieved From:

http://cooley.libarts.wsu.edu/schwartj/pdf/gilfus.pd

Sher, Julian. (2010). What It's Like to Be 17 and Having Sex for Money. Chicago Review Press.

December 16. Retrieved from: http://www.alternet.org/story/149228/what_it %27s_like_to_be_17_and_sex_for_money

Becker, H. (1963). Outsiders-Defining Deviance. In M. Konty, Boundaries: Readings In Deviance, Crime and Criminal Justice (pp. 1-18). Pearson Custom Publishing.