Sexual Scripts are messages we get from the media and society about how how girls and guys are expected to talk, act and be in their relationships.
They make it hard to decide what we really want and how to communicate that to others.
Sexual Scripts include:
Gender stereotypes are generalizations about who we are as guys and as girls. They do not reflect who we are as individuals.
Labels are words like "slut" and "fag" and "player". They keep us from seeing each other as individuals and make it easier to hurt or judge a person because they are seen as "less than" or different from us.
Double standards encourage the idea that certain things are acceptable for one gender and not for another.
How do Sexual Scripts lead to an environment where sexual assault can happen?
Genders stereotypes promote the idea that girls are to be passive and guys are supposed to be aggressive. Guys are supposed to make all the moves and girls are supposed to know when to say no.
WARNING! These Gender stereotypes may be harmful to your health!
She asked for it…
She deserved it….
Boys will be boys
He only wants one thing…
These kinds of attitudes say that girls who are sexually assaulted are to blame because they are the ones who are responsible for how far things go and that boys who sexually assault someone aren’t to blame because they are just naturally sexually aggressive.
No one asks to be assaulted. No one deserves assault.
Youth have the power to change their sexual scripts.
We all have a right to sexuality without violence.
Labels lead to sexualized violence.
When someone is labeled a slut, it can make them a target for aggressive sexual attention, sometimes even leading to assault. If a guy is labeled a fag, it may make him be more sexually aggressive to girls because he is trying to get rid of the label. And it makes him a target for others to be violent towards him because of homophobic attitudes.
Take a stand next time you hear someone using labels. Stop yourself from using them. Even when we are "joking", we are making it okay to use these words. And joking can easily cross the line.
Labels are how violence is packaged.
Take them all off.
Are you getting it?
