Pin It
amber rose
via Instagram / @amberrose

Amber Rose writes candid essay on slut-shaming and sexism

The model and activist also blasted Kanye over his recent Twitter rant – calling him a ‘fucking clown’ for mentioning her child

It’s been a big week for Amber Rose. After silencing one of the most hypnotising Twitter rants in recent memory, the model and activist has become an unexpected feminist icon – shrugging off Kanye’s slut-shaming with one simple hashtag. “Awww @kanyewest are u mad I'm not around to play in ur asshole anymore?” she typed, initiating an online meltdown. “#FingersInTheBootyAssBitch.”

Now, in a new essay titled “How I Learned To Stop Caring What People Think”, Rose discusses the subject even further – opening up about her experiences with sexism, and her struggles with its unjust double standards.

“After my ex-husband Wiz Khalifa and I got a divorce, I’d go out for a date at a restaurant like any normal single human and people would say, ‘Man, she’s such a ho. She’s out at restaurants with guys.’ Then they would see my ex-husband with a bunch of women. They would say, ‘He’s the man! That’s so cool.’ So when I went on a date, I’m a whore, and when he’s piling girls in a car, he’s the man? There’s something wrong here.”

The piece, which was published on Time yesterday, also mentions the negative reactions she’s received over her past career – which saw her work as stripper to support her struggling family. According to Rose, and to West’s derogatory Twitter remarks earlier this week, it is still a strangely difficult fact for many to accept.

“People would actually say things like, ‘Who would ever love you? You were a stripper. Why are you in relationships?’” she wrote. “And I used to feel like I had to explain that maybe it was because I’m a good person... I can’t talk to everyone and tell them who I really am. They’re still going to have their own opinions. If you know me, you love me. If you don’t know me, you might love me, but you might not – and that’s cool. And you know what? Now I sleep like a baby at night.”

Rose has been romantically involved with West in the past, and has also had a child with Khalifa – though she has now severed ties with both. Despite that, the rappers have continued to insult and degrade the model: with West claiming that he needed “30 showers” after being with her, and Khalifa calling her “nothing but a stripper”. She has since publicly (and tearfully) forgiven both men, but that hasn’t deterred their behaviour – as was made evident earlier this week. 

“People would actually say things like, ‘Who would ever love you? You were a stripper. Why are you in relationships?’” – Amber Rose

“You let a stripper trap you,” Kanye wrote, in a now-deleted series of tweets. “I know you mad every time you look at your child that this girl got you for 18 years... You wouldn’t have a child if it wasn’t for me.”

In a separate interview with the Allegedly podcast today, Rose reflected on the argument – dismissing West’s behaviour as “fucking ridiculous”. “Even him saying stuff about my son, I still didn’t say anything about his kids,” she said, when pressed about the incident. “I’m not going to. This is ridiculous. They’re innocent babies. You don’t ever, ever talk about a baby, ever. That just shows how fucking ridiculous he is... he’s a fucking clown.”

The drama doesn’t stop there though. After nearly two days, West finally responded to Rose’s “#FingersInTheBootyAssBitch” tweet this morning – and it was a predictably problematic retort. “Exes can be mad but just know I never let them play with my ass...” he said, with a soft hint of homophobia. “I don’t do that... I stay away from that area all together.” 

Read the full reply below: