Walk of shame
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The walk of shame usually occurs the morning after a night out. People undertaking the walk of shame are understood to have spent the night at the house of a sexual partner, particularly a one night stand. Due to this they can be recognised by the fact that they are still wearing the clothes they went out in the night before, have disheveled "bed head" or "sex head" hair, and are often suffering from a hangover.
For men, the "walk of shame" is often concerned with who they slept with. For example, if your bedmate is considerably undesirable, you might do a "walk of shame" after sleeping with them. On the other hand, there is no "walk of shame" associated with sleeping with a very attractive woman. For women, on the other hand, the "walk of shame" has more to do with being caught after a night of sex than it has to do with the desirablity of their partner. These differences likely reflect cultural views.
In the United States, college and university campuses most often play host to the walk of shame, as these walks often happen when students travel to/from dorms/greek houses. The walk may be made even more humiliating when students promenade through large open quads, often subjecting themselves to whistles and catcalls from the few fellow students who are awake at that hour.
In the television programme The Weakest Link and Survivor, the walk of shame is the walk from the podium or Tribal Council, to an area offstage, where the contestant gives his or her final thoughts.
Another type of walk of shame occurs at amusement parks when a guest doesn't fit on a ride, usually a popular roller coaster with a long wait time. This happens quite often despite the test seat at the entrances of most roller coasters.
A third type of walk of shame occurs in the military when on maneuvers. When a soldier or other servicemember must use the restroom, an none is available, he will inevitably take a walk of shame. He or she will be seen with a roll of toilet paper in one hand and usually a shovel in the other. Members of their unit may make fun of the person while they take the long walk to relieve themselves.
A walk of shame can also refer to a practice of hazing in which some soroities engage. A prospective member walks down a long tabletop in her underwear whilst members of the sorority write disparaging comments about her body in magic marker.
[edit] Further reading
- Widboom, Nate. "The walk of shame", The Badger Herald, 2004-04-14. — Widboom describes the hairstyles and etiquette of the Walk of Shame.
- Robin Anderton and Jay Desario (2005-10-25). The Walk of Shame : A Survival Guide. Chamberlain Bros. ISBN 1-59609-047-2.
- Lube. "Walk of shame no longer embarrasses; embrace morning-after", Independent Florida Alligator, 2005-09-01. — Lube asserts that the phrase is a "misnomer" because "shame is so rarely involved".
- Rice, Kate. "The Wednesday Hump: Strutting With Pride: The Walk of Shame Need Not Be So Shameful", Daily Nexus, 2004-05-19. — Rice provides tips on how to avoid appearing as if one is on the walk of shame, but concludes by asserting that there is nothing to be ashamed of, asking "What is so damn wrong with getting your freak on and waiting until morning to venture back home?".
[edit] External links
- The Walk of Shame by Jimmy Fallon
- Ali Wisch. The Walk of Shame. Points in Case. Retrieved on November 11, 2005.
