Sarah The Smart

Vancouver virgin's 'slut-shaming' slam prompts Anderson Cooper talk show appearance after video goes viral

Sarah MacLeod's video, which has been viewed almost 175,000 times, has attracted the attention of Anderson Cooper

By Janet Steffenhagen, Vancouver Sun | January 13, 2012 11:38 AM


A 13-year-old creates a youtube video about slut shaming. Photograph by: Video Image, Youtube
A Vancouver teenager has been invited to appear on Anderson Cooper's talk show after her YouTube video denouncing "slut shaming" went viral.

Sarah MacLeod, 13, created the video last summer as part of a "seven days, seven topics" challenge to mark the end of her second year on YouTube.

While she didn't quite finish the challenge, she has posted a total of 26 videos - some serious, some just for fun - under the name Astrorice. The young vlogger has told her fans that she's been toting a camera since she was a kid.

The video that's brought her international attention is a 3:59-minute close-up of her face as she discusses "slut shaming" criticizing and belittling women for their sexual activity - why it's wrong, and how it encourages acceptance of sexual violence.

She speaks with an authority that belies her age, but it's her animated expressions and sassy turn of phrase that deliver the biggest punch. By Thursday, the video had been viewed almost 175,000 times.

Now she's booked on a flight to New York City for a taped interview Tuesday with television personality Anderson Cooper, to be aired Jan. 20 on his newly syndicated daytime talk show called Anderson. She's also been featured in the online edition of the Daily Mail, one of Britain's biggest-selling newspapers, and the Huffington Post.

Sarah, a Grade 8 student at Churchill secondary school, and her family have agreed not to tell their story to other media before the show, but her mother Julia Denholm admitted she's surprised and excited by the attention. "I'm very proud of her," she said in an email. "The video is all over the place."


In comments posted under her video, Sarah admits that slut shaming is "a bit of an unorthodox topic for a 13-year-old virgin to be talking about," but insists it's an important issue for all ages. "So many teenage girls call each other sluts and they don't know about the meaning behind their words and I know it's just ignorance, but it pisses me off."

Later she notes "apparently this is going kinda viral" and says she's amused that her most popular video is not her best. "[It's] my least well-edited video and the video in which I look the least appealing, sigh."

But there's no denying her spirit. Sarah stares intently at the camera, wearing braces that emphasize her youthfulness, as she describes slut shaming as "the unfortunate phenomenon" whereby people belittle women who dress provocatively, enjoy sex, have sex a lot or are the subject of rumours about their sexual activity. The intended message is that sex is bad, sex with more than one person is horrible and everyone will hate you for having sex at all, she says, never missing a beat.

"That message is complete and utter - excuse my French - bullshit. Yes, I'm 13 and I said the word bullshit. Yes, I'm 13 and I'm talking about slut shaming," she sighs, rolling her eyes. Then, slapping on a pair of big red sunglasses and a serious frown, she fires: "Deal with it."

Not only is a person's sex life no one's business but their own, slut shaming contributes to a culture that accepts sexual violence against women, including rape, she continues. The causes of rape do not include the way a woman dresses, her makeup, her drinking or her sexual activity.

Sarah urges her audience to pass the video to anyone who slut shames. "How awesome would it be to change the opinion of even just one person?"

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My comment to Sarah:

Bravo, Sarah! I agree with you totally. I am a man, and as a man I am allowed to have tons of sex without anybody saying a word. But women! Oh God NO! She kissed her boyfriend on the fourth date, she's a slut! Be fair people. Thanks for your honest and truthful words, Sarah.

I'm looking forward to see you on 'Anderson'.