Slut-shaming has been a form of sexist degradation towards women since the sexual revolution in the 1960’s. The slang “hoe” came from the word whore, a vile slur marking someone as a prostitute. But in recent years, the media, celebrities and music industry have adopted the word “hoe” and shone a new light on it.
Showing up in songs as early as 2012, “hoe” is not a new term, but its meaning has transformed in recent years. The world is moving at the beck of a new feminist revolution, with over half a million people attending the 2017 Women’s March in Washington D.C. Women are coming together in ways they never had before. This is portrayed through art, politics and the media.
The idea of calling someone a hoe now is to empower women through previously hateful names. Hoe and whore are both aggressive and misogynistic words, created to incite hate and disrespect to those that work in the sex industry. The music industry adopted this term early, with hundreds of songs having the word hoe in the name and double that amount having the word said throughout the lyrics.
Now comes the question — did the connotation around hoe really change? In a way, yes. The music industry at times still uses the word in a vulgar way, but others do the opposite and use hoe as a compliment. The idea of “hoe anthems” includes music that is meant to empower women, especially those in touch with their sexuality. This word has become a descriptor for someone who is not shameful of who they are, which honestly, sounds like a word we should be using more. Big names like Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, and Cardi B have used “hoe” to describe themselves, other women they love and have sung it in their music. If we give a formally hateful word a new connotation we are essentially changing its meaning. We have the power to redirect the connotation of a word, so why is this not more common?
Growing up, I had been called everything from slut to hoe. It took me years to realize that a word is just that, a word. I am positive I wasn’t the only teenager going through this unfortunate high school experience. We as humans, as women, have every right to control who we are and create the connotations of words we desire. It is 2018, being in touch with one’s sexuality is no longer something to be shameful about, but instead, something to be proud of. Both 2017 and 2018 have been filled with women empowerment and standing up to patriarchal oppression, and this word follows suit perfectly. If we can change a word to make it become a positive thing, we can do anything.
This being said, what word would YOU want to become positive? And how do you plan on being part of the movement?
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