This is a certified jam. From the beat to the lyrics, it gets stuck in your head. Even if you don't use expletives, you'll find yourself dancing around the room singing "Men ain't... ish. Women ain't ish, too, ooo-ooo-ooo." and clicking repeat. You'll get trapped in the groove that will hold you captive until your 3rd or 5th listen, when you'll be swaying your hips and then, mid-boy roll, you'll begin really comprehending the meaning of the song. You'll realize maybe this song shouldn't be as much of a jam as it is and begin wondering whether you should enjoy it as much as you do. After contemplating for a while, you'll more than likely decide it's not worth all of the thought because it's just some lyrics and catchy guitar. You'll continue listening; however, in the back of your mind there will now be a voice critiquing the song, and possibly you. This article is that voice.

Thot (n.)- an acronym meaning "that hoe over there"; synonyms: 'Whore-Lite', 'Diet Slut', 'Baby Hoe', etc.

Amidst a sea of terms, 'thot' is the first to be an acronym representative of the concept of sexually active women. It is also the first that actively represents the attitudes of the speaker towards the subject, as 'that hoe over there' distances the subject of discussion and asserts that the speaker is not speaking directly to the person, but talking aboutthe woman in question to a third party. Ironically, due to it's grammatical classification, it can be used to directly label someone or oneself. Other grammatical forms of the word, such as 'thotting' (verb), can be used similarly, however, this internal distance is so embedded within the word that it carries over, making 'thot' a watered down, less aggressive version of the words that came before it.

"I ain't perfect so Baby I ain't here to judge you..."

Said every male ever, right before he commences judgement. Every generation has its own term for women who, whether real or perceived, portray and perform their sexuality outside of the realms deemed acceptable by society. Rarely is the term used to describe the actual actions of someone, but is instead meant to shame one into feeling negatively about herself and coerce others into feeling negatively about her. Although the term is a less aggressive form of classification, it does not water down or lessen the attitudes associated with it and the judgement one labeled as such must combat. At the heart of the word lies judgement, an ironic double-standard in a time when 'hook-up culture' is increasingly losing the 'hook up' classification.

"You came to look good, I came to look at your body..."

Arguably, 'thotties' are the very type of women men hope women are, and as a society we don't, and have never, blamed men for this. Everybody prefers automatic doors to old building doors that require the visitor to phone the person being visited, wait for them to answer, and be beeped up. Some people even find the standard 'push-pull' door to be a challenge these days. We have been bred into a culture in which everything is desired to be easy: and women are no exception to this. Oddly, our group-think ends with desire, as our psyche remains dated and continues to condemn the object of desire when the ease is too easy. Even in the lyric, the female intended to go out and have a good time, while the male intended to go out, see women, and (more than likely) get laid. Illogically, this situation is optimal, while a situation in which both parties have the same interests is portrayed negatively; to the fault of the female. It's almost as if men aren't comfortable with being reduced to bodies meant to be conquered.

"A thottie gettin' no love from me..."

Ultimately, ‘Thots’ are largely regarded as modern day Sirens. They lure men in with their beauty/sexuality and then leave them wrecked at “I Don’t Want a Relationship” reef. In most cases, neither party really wants a relationship, but most people would rather have none of something than only part of it, and for most men the thought of knowledgeably ‘sharing’ a woman with other men or, dare I say it, being another notch on a woman’s belt is unbearable. The true issue men have with ‘thots’ is their unattainability; their ability to be everything men want and remain something they cannot have. This unattainability is so dangerous to the male ego that it makes them unworthy of respect, affection, and apparently, love.

"Put a price tag on these hoes. I be shoppin' at the thrift store because them vintage girls, they don't make 'em no more..."

The verdict is in (as it has always been): Men have always liked the women who wait on men hand and foot, single-handedly raise their children, and live at their husband’s beck and call. And they want them back. A completely misguided desire, if we’re being honest, as the belief that such a thing is currently feasible is largely far-fetched and idealistic. Women were that way in the past due to a number of reasons, namely the fact that it was once possible for a man to single-handedly support his family financially and the fact that women were socially, politically, and economically crippled in the name of the patriarchy. (To believe that women would be required to work a full work week as well as perform these duties is so misguided that I won’t even entertain it.) In 2017, while women have not completely recovered, the prosthetics we have been gifted with put us in the position to be more independent. We have reached a point in our civilization where women can largely do for themselves, and sex, the one thing that men have been able to consider themselves the ruler of based on their anatomical possessions and the lie that only men can partake in it in an emotion-less manner, makes ‘Thotting’ a direct assault upon the one subject left in their decrepit kingdom.

"If we gonna love, first I gotta trust you..."

Although I have never partaken in thot-culture, I support it. It is ultimately about women putting their wants and desires above the expectations set for them, an occurrence that has never been met with support and acceptance (see Salem Witch Trials, Spanish Inquisition, Women’s sports teams, etc.) Ironically, while our society and customs have progressed, our psyche has remained rooted in the past, an oversight that asserts that the concepts, values, and beliefs that we reduce things down to in the name of ease can remain stagnant, while the ever-increasing complexity of existence does not impact nor change these concepts.Our oversimplification of women, relationships, and gender have led us to this point. The idea that women who are in control of their sexuality are less trustworthy or wholesome is a misguided attempt to maintain the status quo, and as Chuck Palahniuk stated, “I would say any behavior that is not the status quo is interpreted [negatively], when, in fact, it might actually be enlightenment,” meaning that ‘thots’ are enlightened individuals who face negativity in the name of the preservation of judgement, patriarchy, and misogyny. So, to all of my Thots out there, whether self-proclaimed or otherwise, I have three things to say:

1. No one but you can determine your self-worth.

2. If they’re hating on you, it means you’re doing something right. And,

3. A Thottie never gets cold. <3

Disclaimer: While I understand that this article is hetero-normative, I did so on purpose as I am critiquing a specific depiction of the attitudes towards 'thotting' from a hetero-normative song in a hetero-normative world. To tackle the complexities of the attitudes towards 'thots' outside of this would call for different examples and a much longer article. It is important to note, however, that bisexual people tend to face more negative attitudes due to the prevalent attitudes towards bisexual people, and within that, women face it more than men. This is important to note, as it shows the way in which such attitudes are pervasive even within structures that inherently juxtopose the places that such attitudes were borne out of.