Reflection Paper: Slut the Play

Event: Slut the Play 5/2/2015 Slut the Play centers around the main character Joey and her experience with a sexual assault. A large portion of the play simulates Joey’s discussion with the police after the assault. In the interview, Joey is asked about the events leading up to the assault. She explains that she was drinking with three male friends and brought a pack of condoms as a joke. When asked why she did this, Joey explains that she wanted to seem cool in front of these guys; it felt good to get attention from them. This prompted me to think about how frequently girls, including myself, place a large part of their selfesteem in how guys think of them. I found that I strongly resonated with Joey’s desire to be wanted by men. I am extremely comfortable with who I am, but I still find myself vulnerable to what guys think of me. I feel powerful when I get a lot of male attention, but I also fixate on what about me could make a guy choose not to call after a date. After the play, I posed a question to the cast and writers about how to encourage young girls to place their self-esteem out of the control of men. They answered the question in the way I would have: self-esteem comes from you and you alone. I believe that one must take an active role in reflecting about how they feel about themselves. With conscious thought, and some help by talking to others, one can diminish outsiders’ effects on one’s confidence. After this play, I vowed to be more aware of how I react to men and to make sure that I do not allow them to play a role in determining my self-worth.