What is the difference between a slut and a tramp?
These are slang/pejorative terms and could be used differently in some cultures. But in mine…
Some examples:
It takes a particular mindset to distinguish here. To use slut and not tramp, you typically have to be saying “yes, she's having casual sex, but that's not an issue.” To use tramp and not slut, you have to be saying “yes, she's acting inappropriately in terms of sexual activity, and let's judge her for that, but please don't assume that she's doing more than we know that she is. That wouldn't be fair to her.”
Most people who use these terms are doing it to attack, and pretty much stop at the level of “woman + sex => baaaaaaad.” Being “fair” when you're insulting someone isn't usually at the top of your priorities.
These are slang/pejorative terms and could be used differently in some cultures. But in mine…
- A slut is a sexually promiscuous woman.
- A tramp is a woman who acts “trashy” (inappropriately, immorally, etc), particularly with respect to sexual activity.
Some examples:
- A single woman who has lots of casual sex might be called a slut, but not necessarily a tramp. (In fact, she might even call herself a slut.) In a casual-sex-is-fine culture, she's not a tramp since nothing is inappropriate here. But she might be called a slut in a “you're promiscuous and that's a totally awesome choice” sort of way.
- A woman who wears revealing clothes for the purposes of getting a good grade—but who never even kissed a man—might be called a tramp, but it'd be inaccurate to call her a slut. She is not being promiscuous at all, but she's using sexual desire to get an edge, which is generally considered inappropriate.
- A woman who routinely has sex with other people's boyfriends would be called both a tramp and a slut. She's being promiscuous—and that part would be totally fine—but she's doing it in an immoral way.
It takes a particular mindset to distinguish here. To use slut and not tramp, you typically have to be saying “yes, she's having casual sex, but that's not an issue.” To use tramp and not slut, you have to be saying “yes, she's acting inappropriately in terms of sexual activity, and let's judge her for that, but please don't assume that she's doing more than we know that she is. That wouldn't be fair to her.”
Most people who use these terms are doing it to attack, and pretty much stop at the level of “woman + sex => baaaaaaad.” Being “fair” when you're insulting someone isn't usually at the top of your priorities.
Last edited:
