SLUTSHAMING: of Guilty Parents, Complicit Comedians, and Enabling Fans

One day, we will talk about parents, especially mothers, who destroy their daughters even before society lays its  vicious claws on them. Yes, for many of us, our mothers were the first to slut-shame us. 

I just don't have any idea how soon the conversation will happen. We don't look ready it at all. We're still too busy cackling at every jest, and stifling our discomfiture at many of the jokes because we are trying not to irritate those that are quick to call us oversensitive. 

But I live for the day when the conversation will happen; when the shame will be on the people who disparage young girls and women, on the people who normalize this form of abuse through bants and comedy, and on the people who shame those that take exception to these jokes.

I've always indulged in the guilty pleasure of enjoying Taaooma's comedy skits (many people find the severity of her slaps, the thunderous sound albeit computer-generated, disturbing) but as much as I appreciate her creativity, I couldn't help but cringe at the point where Iya Tao spat the words "ashewo oshi" at her daughter in this skit:(Click here  to watch the comedy skit on my Facebook Blog Page).

I don't know if it's too much of a responsibility to place on celebrities, especially actors and comedians, expecting them to challenge harmful narratives and reorientate the society through humour. Maybe it is? These celebrities are, after  all, products of the society. We made them become celebrities by endorsing their arts. They are one of us. 

They are us—just with more money.

One can tell the values of a society by the kind of people it predominantly confers its fame and recognition on. Nigerians are largely UNcerebral. Therefore, expecting her celebrities to pull off arts that appeal, both to humour, common sense and human rights, may be tantamount to waiting for pigs to fly.

Nevertheless, I live for the day when men and women who slut-shame their daughters, relatives, friends and even strangers will be regarded as the infantile, emotionally unintelligent, mentally unstable people that they are.