Year of the Whores

2026-03-09 - 11:54

March 8 is International Women’s Day. In Armenia, it’s a major celebration. Flowers flood the streets, restaurants are packed, and men hand out roses, chocolates, or other small gifts. Social media is filled with tributes to “our beautiful women,” “our mothers,” “our sisters,” “our queens,” while politicians post graphics about gender equality, respect and empowerment. For 24 hours, we are revered. And then, on March 9, we go back to being whores. Now, before anyone has me drawn and quartered for using that word, just relax for a second and bear with me. I don’t mean it literally. But no one can deny that the label, or its many polite variations, hovers constantly over women who step outside the very narrow script society writes for them. Think of casual phrases like “bros before hoes” that roll off the tongue without a second thought. I’ve actually given that one some thought. And if that’s the rule, then I proudly say: hoes before bros. I once said it during a night out in Yerevan with a group of girls I didn’t know very well yet. One of them got a bit frazzled at my turning the tables: “No, wait, what? You mean...” I just laughed. You’re not getting it. Because phrases or jokes like that don’t come out of nowhere. They reflect something deep and disturbing about how easily women are judged and how casually those judgments are accepted. What’s the most common label for a woman who dates or sleeps with more than one person at a time? She’s a slut. What about a woman who leaves a marriage, especially when children are involved? Selfish. And a woman who enjoys her body? Shameful. Or a woman who speaks too loudly, too boldly, too freely? Suspicious, obnoxious, maybe even vulgar. A man who does these things? Well, he’s just being a man. In Armenia, as in much of the world, men can date multiple women and be admired for their virility. They can move on quickly from one relationship to the next and be congratulated for not dwelling in heartbreak. They can cheat and be forgiven as weak or impulsive. Male infidelity is, in fact, so commonly tolerated that it’s almost par for the course. But when a woman strays, the consequences can be severe. She faces social exile, family rupture, violence—and in some parts of the world, even murder. Because women are expected to remain pristine: loyal beyond reason, quiet about their desires, grateful for attention, and devoted to men who betray or even abuse them. And God forbid we should sleep with a man too soon. Because if we do, the label arrives. Most often it appears in softer, more polite Armenian undertones rather than straight up calling her a prostitute. Instead, it’s “Lav aghjik chi.” She’s not a good girl. Or, “tetev aghjik e.” She’s loose, easy. The words may be different, but the message is the same: this is a woman who has stepped out of line, who is no longer respectable, who is not marriage material, and whose reputation is now fair game for public scorn. It fascinates me how seamlessly this hypocrisy coexists with our grand gestures of celebration. On March 8, we are elevated and cherished so long as we fit the mold—mother, wife, daughter, inspiration, beauty. The acceptable forms of womanhood are adored. But what about the inconvenient woman? The divorced woman. The single woman over thirty-five. The woman who doesn’t want children. The woman who dates liberally or doesn’t repress her sexuality. The woman who does whatever the fuck she wants to do. Sure, she may receive flowers on March 8 too, but for the rest of the year, she receives scrutiny. International Women’s Day is supposed to be about rights, equality, and structural injustice. If you truly respect women, then respect their autonomy. Respect that a woman’s worth is not determined by how exclusively she has loved. Recognize that her body and sexuality are not public commodities to be scandalized. And accept that she may experiment, fail, choose poorly, change her mind, rebuild, and start over, again and again—just as men do without consequence. Otherwise, the scale is rigged. So, this year, let’s enter a new zodiac cycle. Forget the Year of the Horse. Let’s welcome the Year of the Whores and reclaim the insult. If living my life as fully, freely, and unapologetically as my heart desires makes me a whore, I’ll take it as a compliment. See all [Unleashed] articles here Comment Listen to Sheila’s personal reading of “Year of the Whores”. Your browser does not support the audio element. Sheila Paylan is an international human rights lawyer and former legal advisor to the United Nations. Now based in Yerevan, she regularly consults for a variety of international organizations, NGOs, think tanks, and governments.