Fighting sexual stigma with a hooky chorus and a video straight out of the 90's, the band Chastity Belt's new anti-slut-shaming song "Cool Slut" is a breezy ode to female sexual freedom. While there's a super chill vibe to the track, this band of feminists still manages to make a serious point with their lyrics. Julia Shapiro sings: “To all the girls in the world/ Trying to take off their shirts/ Ladies, it’s OK to be/ It’s OK to be slutty.” Obviously, the word "slut" is used ironically here instead of being used to shame and police normal, healthy desire. If you were in search of a little encouragement to get busy beneath the damning gaze of the patriarchy, you've got it.
Chastity Belt's message of acceptance is only heightened by their accompanying video, which is basically a 90's-palooza of Reality Bites-outtakes and Friends-style shenanigans. The four women in the band are pictured playing guitar in the grass, rollerblading, returning books at the library, and chilling on park benches. It's playful, fun, and nothing like your usual hyper-sexual music video, which is why the message packs such a punch. By juxtaposing scenes of low-key female friendship and everyday life with lyrics about shame-free sex, Chastity Belt remind us that "sluts" come in all styles, and that if liking sex means you're a slut, then pretty much everyone in the world is one. "We're just a couple of sluts — so what? We like to fuck" Shapiro sings. So what indeed.
Images: YouTube
