BODY-SHAMING AND SLUT-SHAMING
Erica, Elites, Icons, & Everyone In Between
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There are things that should transcend BBN stan-ship, and sense of loyalty to one’s “fave.”
Among these things, calling out body-shaming and slut-shaming top the list.
They both should be condemned, ALWAYS, and so without any reservations.
You can accept wrongs done by your “fave,” condemn it, and still love and support them: both aren’t mutually exclusive!
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🔵 BODY-SHAMING
Without any reservations, the verbal assault that Erica meted out on Laycon that fateful Sunday morning was repugnant, unpalatable, and utterly disgusting, to say the least.
Yes, she had every reason to be mad at Laycon [anyone— especially if that person is a WOMAN IN NIGERIA— would feel betrayed if they discover that their friend was going behind their back telling people that they were trying to kiss them, especially when they’re with someone else, and are being watched by millions of viewers world over. The way Ebuka put it didn’t help either].
However, those reasons are not enough to justify Erica’s actions. The moment she started body-shaming Laycon, whatever justification she had for her anger towards him went down the drains. And by the time she started issuing death threats, she lost it completely.
Yes, alcohol most likely played a role, as may have the borderline personality traits I SUSPECT she has [ emphasis on “suspect,” because even though I had earlier talked about it in Week 3, and predicted it was going to lead to her disqualification— long before she even had her first strike— I could be wrong, because for starters I am NOT a Psychiatrist. Even if I was, information gotten off a TV show may not be enough for a conclusive diagnosis; at best, you can only have an informed opinion with it. The fact that my prediction turned out right doesn’t change this fact].
That said, her being drunk, and possibly having a personality trait, or disorder, should never be used as excuses. The act should be CONDEMNED WITHOUT RESERVATIONS. There’s a reason the maxim/injunction “drink responsibly” ends every advert about alcoholic beverages. It is the responsibility of an adult to know their limits when it comes to alcohol, and try as much as possible not to cross it. If said adult doesn’t do that, then anything they do while tipsy, or outrightly drunk, is on them.
As for Elites who keep on body-shaming Laycon, using the same words Erica used and more: shame on you!
If Erica was angry, and perhaps tipsy, you that is clear-headed, what is your excuse?
The fact that your stan is remorseful of her actions— whether truthfully, or not— and apologized, wasn’t/isn’t enough to deter you.
You’re just a despicable human being. Nothing else.
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🔴 SLUT-SHAMING
If you’re reading this, you probably have your nose up in the air, thinking that you aren’t a slut-shamer. You’d be surprised though to find out that you have, either directly, or indirectly, slut-shamed Erica for her choices, and for choosing to be sexually expressive.
“HOElites.”
“HOErica.”
“FINGERica”
“PORNrica.”
And lots more.
If you have as much as used any of these, know that you’re as much a scumbag as the people who outrightly call her Ashewo, and other despicable names.
And no, that she body-shamed Laycon doesn’t make it okay to slut-shame her. Don’t kid yourselves, or try to be smart by half, just to give your conscience a reason not to beat you up so much: you were probably already slut-shaming her even before she body-shamed Laycon.
Not that it matters, anyway.
There’s another group of slut-shamers— the covert slut-shamers, who hide behind praising Nengi for “not being loose” to slut-shame Erica. I see you all.
Talmabout: “I don’t stan nonsense. Nengi is not loose; I can’t say the same for some people.”
What is most painful about this “covert slut-shamers” is the fact that they consist mostly of well educated people: the cream of the intellectual/woke food chain— people who should know better. The fact that they’re mostly WOMEN makes it more disheartening.
I will leave you all with a response I gave to a very dear friend of mine in her inbox, when she was covertly slut-shaming Erica:
” I read a comment of yours, where you were talking about Nengi not being ‘loose.’
” Please could you tell me what makes a woman ‘loose,’ and give me an instance of a ‘loose’ woman.
” Usage of terms like this encourage slut-shaming, and shouldn’t be coming from women, of all people.
“The fact is that, when you talk about a woman not being “loose,” you are implying that other women whose choices about expression of their sexuality is different from hers— women who are sexually expressive and liberal— are ‘loose.’
“By doing so, you give miscreants the perfect opportunity to slut-shame those women.”
The term “loose” should be completely scrapped because it covertly encourages slut-shaming.
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📢 Important Take Home:
1. Condemning an obvious wrong done by your “fave” is a duty you owe humanity. And guess what: it doesn’t in any way stop you from supporting them.
2. In all your BBN banter, there are things that should be out of bounds: slut-shaming and body-shaming are part of them.
😀
