Former 6th Grade ‘Slut’ Fashions Her Diary Entries Into Admirable Anti-Slut-Shaming Project

There may not have been Twitter and Facebook when I was gangley tween, but there was a late 90s equivalent: AOL Instant Messenger. Long before online bullying was a standard parental talking point, myself and many other sixth graders were clacking away trying our hand at online flirting while also trading gossip. Such is the late 90s tween drama that is recovered from a 27-year-old’s very admirable project entitled “UnSlut.”

The anonymous author says on her tumblr that she was dubbed a “slut” in the 6th grade and has the racy diary entries to prove it. That along with a literal cast of characters keeps all the players straight: multiple male love interests, a frenemy, and “the sometimes friend” are all parts in the preteen drama that reads pretty timeless. Hooking up with boys, delving into alcohol, being pressured into sex, and of course being the brunt of malicious slut-shaming are all pretty prominent themes. (That and calling her mom to pick her up):

But he was on top of me and I didn’t want to disappoint him. So I didn’t say anything when he started to unzip my fly, and then he put his hand down my underwear.

It didn’t really hurt, but I just felt so slutty. Finally, I told him to stop touching me and he looked annoyed and ran upstairs.

The author maintains that she has changed all names to secure anonymity — and there are humorous annotations — as a now 27-year-old — added in. But “Emily,” as she is known through out the entries, is rehashing the “slut” diaries for a good purpose, according to her tagline:

WORKING TO UNDO THE DANGEROUS SLUT SHAMING IN OUR SCHOOLS, COMMUNITIES, MEDIA, AND CULTURE BY SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES.

Emily’s project puts a powerful voice to the effects of slut-shaming, exploring firsthand the tight line of walking what her male peers expect and what she even wants. Navigating sexual lingo she doesn’t understand, desires she legitimately has, and the vilification by those around her, Emily reveals what many young girls are still battling today. Exchange that AOL Instant Messenger screen name for a Twitter handle and the script holds up the same.

(photo: Maja H. / Shutterstock)