Photo from Amber Rose Instagram
The name “Amber Rose” should be synonymous with two words: Feminist. Icon. If you are not familiar with her then you are not familiar with a new generation of feminism.
From her advocacy against rape culture, advocacy of the dissolvement of the “tampon tax,” being open about normalizing periods to her son and her annual “Amber Rose Slutwalk,” Amber has become the fresh face of a fresh era of feminism.
In an interview with “Now This,” Amber shed light on how the end of rape culture and the beginning of consent culture begins with the education of men in our lives. She said, “We need to start with our boys, we need to start with our sons. We need to talk to our father’s and our uncle’s and really educate them that as women we should not have to teach other women how to be safe.” She also mentioned that we should live in a world where men do not touch women inappropriately because they feel like what we wear is an invitation.
On her Instagram account Amber posted a video that at first glance seems to be an advertisement for luxury jewelry or perfume, but it turns out to be a representation of how menstrual hygiene products are taxed as a luxury in the U.S.
When Amber spoke in an interview with “Refinery 21” she said, “My son knows what a period is,” she explained, “I think it’s really important because a lot of guys think that periods are gross. So I explain everything to him, when I have cramps or I don’t feel well. I don’t hide that from him”.
Amber started the annual “Amber Rose Slutwalk” in 2011 after a Toronto police officer said that “women shouldn’t dress like sluts,” if they do not want to be sexually assaulted. Amber said her annual event is a safe space for women because when you go through things like sexual assault you can sometimes feel alone. The 2017 “Amber Rose Slutwalk” was held on October 1 and welcomed attendees from all walks of life regardless of race, class, gender or education.
Amber’s ad with PeriodEquity.org can be found here.
Thumbnail photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.