For many years the terms “hoe” or “slut” have been used as insults towards girls who were sexually active or had more than one partner. Girls would be up in arms if the demeaning slur was directed towards them in any way. A girl sleeping around with multiple different men would be seen as “unladylike” and people would most likely say she had no respect for herself or her body. But this old way of thinking is starting to change.
Modern day feminists have attempted to redefine and reclaim the word “hoe” and turn it into something positive—something to be proud of. This is called the “Pro-Hoe movement.” This movement is about sexual liberation for women and the fight to stop slut and sex shaming for girls. It's about breaking the dichotomy between sexually active males and sexually active females and setting the same standard for both genders. But the question that has many people wondering is does this new movement have a positive or negative impact on young adult girls?
Especially in the black community.
There are many effects that this strong and passionate of a movement could have on teenage girls and older which is why it has sparked so much controversy within the masses. It opens the discussion about the pros and cons of this new way of thinking. After speaking with a diverse group of young black adults (ages ranging from 15-25), I've gathered a pretty solid idea of their praises and concerns about what it means to be “Pro-Hoe” and the things that could stem from such a movement. For example, one argument against it is that it could encourage girls to start having sex at younger ages. That the coming generations will take notice of this newfound acceptance of sexual freedom and engage in it themselves. Another concern was that it would pressure girls who were raised against having sex before marriage or girls that just wouldn't normally participate in that sort of behavior, to engage in it... Peer pressure at its finest.
One argument that I found particularly interesting and eye opening was the already over sexualized stereotype that is attached to black women by other races. Due to the fetishization and over-sexualization of black women for their notorious curvy figure and full lips, it's believed that if black women were to participate in the Hoe empowerment movement, it would further embed the already hyper-sexualized stereotype into black culture and black women would be reduced to nothing more than figures of pleasure. African American women are the demographic most looked down upon and belittled by society (what, with being black AND female) even though statistically speaking, we are the most educated and hard-working. People feel as though since society is already stacked against us, as black women we should focus on negating the negative stereotypes and opinions that are already formed about us. Anthony, a recent college graduate, says, “I feel like, instead of our young black girls being proud of their sexual escapades, they should be proud of things that can further them in life. Such as their intelligence and work ethic.”
And then, of course, comes the religious aspect of it all (for those of you who are, in fact, religious.) What does God say about this new movement? What does the Bible say? Speaking exclusively from a Christian standpoint, if you in fact consider yourself Christian, does that automatically make you against it? I mean, your body is your temple, right?
Now of course, not all opinions I received on the matter were negative. There were a lot of supporters too. And when asked about why they supported the movement so strongly and when they were presented the opposing side’s arguments against it, they had some interesting answers for me. A lot of them feel as though as long as people are having safe sex, there is no reason to judge or belittle people for what they choose to do with their bodies. “Girls our age are more prone to explore sexuality and engage in sexual activities. I feel like embracing that “hoeness” can be a good thing as long as you're safe... Do you,” said 17-year-old Taylor Marshall.
My best friend, 18-year-old Evan, explains that the reason he loves the movement so much is because girls were always held to a higher standard than boys and put on a pedestal because of their gender. The movement preaches equality of the genders, with the premise that girls shouldn't be shamed for the things that boys are not simply because of the fact that they are female. Supporters also strongly negate the arguments made by those against the movement. For example, in response to being asked if he thinks this kind of movement would inspire girls to start having sex at younger ages, Evan responded, “Girls entering high school, I think it could partially just change their perspective on it or it could cause girls to experiment. I think only the girls who's parents didn't have that sex conversation with them probably would engage in the movement at a younger age because they’re only learning from their peers. Besides, where is the age cut off? Who determines what is "too young" and why?”
When asked about the Christian perspective on it, Supporters said that, yes the Bible commands us to wait for marriage to have sex, but the Bible also commands us not to judge one another. Which is a main point of the whole movement, not to judge people for what they choose to do with their own bodies. We can't force our beliefs down everyone's throat. What we should do is show people love and acceptance no matter how they choose to live their lives. This is what it means to be “Pro-hoe.”
With all of this in mind, it can be pretty hard for one person to decided whether the “Pro-Hoe” movement is beneficial or detrimental to our community. All we can really do is analyze the pros and cons of it and decide for ourselves if we personally want to support it or not. But what I can say is that in my personal experience I've seen the “Pro-Hoe” movement uplift and boost the confidence of women who have been judged in the past for wanting or engaging in sexual freedom and equality. The movement allows women to have the same standards set for men, set for them and doesn't shame them for choosing to be who they want to be. It empowers women to break free of the conventional rules set forth by society and take freedom and power into their own hands.
So now, all that's left is for you to decide. Pro-Hoe... are you for it or against it?
