kristen stewart

Let me make this very clear: "slut-shaming" is despicable. For those of you who haven't been schooled on the term, it's basically all about bashing someone the public views as slutty or who may have had a sexual indiscretion. And it's totally unfair. Like the modern day equivalent of the scarlet letter, it's absolutely degrading.

But -- and this is a big BUT folks -- while the act frustrates me to no end, I have discovered some surprising perks of being "slut-shamed."  It doesn't actually ruin your life. Quite the contrary ... it could improve it.  I know, it sounds crazy, but I swear it's true. And there is irrefutable proof thanks to women like Monica Lewinsky and Kristen Stewart.

A moment of frolicking with a very famous man can lead to a lifetime as a household name. No one is ever, ever going to forget that Monica got it on with then President Bill Clinton. Her last name has even become a synonym for oral sex in the workplace. But in a weird way, the notoriety has worked to her advantage. She launched a purse line that could easily have tanked had it not been for the name attached.

Another perk, people will finally see you the way you want to be seen. Take KStew for instance. Not that she wasn't already a superstar. The girl will always be Bella to about a billion Twi-hards. But cheating on Robert Pattinson made her the most hated woman in Hollywood for all of five minutes. It wasn't long 'til we saw a new Kristen emerge -- confident, sexy. People are looking at her in a new way. Gone is the awkward girl and a grown-up has emerged instead. Her makeout with Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders really moved her away from her play-it-safe teenage Twilight days.

The end result is reinvention, reinvention, reinvention.  What did Monica do after the dust settled? She sat down with Barbara Walters, did two stints on SNL and started a clothing line. She actually sold some stuff because hell, who doesn't want to buy a bag made by the woman who got to play footsie -- among other things? Now, Lewinsky is planning an explosive exposé on her sexcapades with Slick Willie.

And Kristen changed her life by lightening up and smiling. That's right, after her scandal started to blow over, she emerged sporting a softer, more likeable image. In a way, the whole mess, couple with her shocking public apology, has made her more human. She may have never been moved to do that had she not been so mercilessly "slut-shamed".

All that said, bashing a woman for her romantic indiscretions is still plain wrong. I'm just trying to look on the bright side and based on what's happend to these ladies, there definitely is one.

Do YOU think "slut-shaming" women is okay?


Image via shot7photos/ Flickr