Celebrity Gossip has always been trending in social media however, what we don’t realize is how this is a reflection of our society’s mentality. Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris broke up, but what is being discussed is how she moved on with actor Tom Hiddleston. If only the we discussed this in a positive manner, discuss how she has moved on instead of having magazines write about how many guys she has dated. The joke is getting old. I am not a fan of Taylor Swift but I do realize how the media has slut shamed her and other celebrities. Slut-shaming has been a huge epidemic; it is talked about as a joke or even in casual manners. Men do it to women and women do it to each other. This is not constructive to society, this is a step back to the advances that women have achieved, to be recognized as equals instead of being demeaned.

1. Stop comparing women to sluts, hookers or to any other disrespecting way.

Yes, some women have sex for a living but this does not entitle anyone to think about them in a degrading manner. We all make our own choices and it is our own business why we choose them. These women could be anyone, from your long-time friend to your next door neighbor. Setting a stereotype does not help and it increases this epidemic.

2. Men, if a woman sends you a nude, don’t start spreading the image to your friends. Girl’s if you encounter this type of image don’t shame the girl by spreading it on social media.

Cyberbullying has been used to humiliate women in social media. Everyone at one point in their lives have sent a nude picture to someone they’ve dated, it is not a big deal. Let’s start opening the conversation of choosing the right person to send them to instead of humiliating women for it.

3. Repeat after me: Women are not defined by the way they dress.

How much cleavage she shows or how short her garb is does not define her. Clothes is a way to express yourself, to show your personality through fashion. We can all find these shirts and shorts in retail stores. Does this mean that retail promotes prostitution? The answer is NO. What we are doing is promoting rape culture which due to the Stanford Rape case we need to realize that it is a matter to act on.

4. Own your sexuality!

Some women are insecure about their bodies, it has happened to me, it has happened to almost everyone. Sometimes we see another beautiful woman who owns her sexuality and loves her body enough to show it. Sadly, we as women degrade others to make ourselves feel better. This is wrong! We should start empowering each other rather than put each other down. By loving ourselves we can embrace our sexuality and express our confidence through fashion.

5. Start calling out slut-shamers

If a person is slut shaming other’s this is an open window to start breaking the cycle. If you are the victim speak out against the insult, the only power these people have is having you humiliated, by standing up to them you regain power and control over your own life.

The moment we send a girl home because her bra straps were showing is the moment we are prioritizing men’s education rather than her own. School’s are teaching young girls that the way a girl dresses is shameful. Our education system is sexualizing young girls and penalizing them because of it. By taking action against this, signing a petition or protesting against it we can advocate for real change.

7. Stop shaming celebrities

Taylor Swift is just one of the celebrities that constantly gets shamed and criticized. Celebrity gossip is just a representation of how we see each other. If Swift dates a lot she is “easy”, if Miley Cyrus wears only stickers to hide her nipples she is a slut. We compare celebrities and criticize them for their looks. Tabloids are the shamers and we keep approving of the show.