Ask A Feminist is Stylist.co.uk's new column answering your questions on feminism, sexism and womanhood in a real-life, 21st Century context. Send your dilemmas to stories@stylist.co.uk and we'll get one of our brilliant panel of feminists to cast a discerning eye on the issue at hand.

This week's question:

"I was shocked when an acquaintance made a comment about a mutual friend being a slut because she’d had several one night stands. I didn’t call him out for it as we were at a relaxed lunch in a large group but I have felt guilty ever since. Does my silence make me a bad feminist? Do women have a duty to call out sexist behaviour?"

- via email

Feminist Anna-Marie Crowhurst says:

Well, you could have started with: “Oh my god, she is a slut! What a big, slaggy, slappery hoo-er. I’m a slag too actually. I’m mad for the no-strings attached sexing. MAD FOR IT. I’m not sure why – I think I just enjoy expressing my perfectly natural, healthy sexual desires, whenever I feel like it. Because I can. But you’re right, I should probably hang my head. Being a woman and all!”

You could have slinked up to him with a twinkle in your eye, chucked him gently under the chin and said: “Awwww bless you. Are you pretending to be stupid so I’ll fancy you more, sweet thing?”

You could have bellowed, at the top of your voice, while gesticulating violently with your cutlery: “Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...ARE YOU F*****G KIDDING ME?”

But yeah, it’s always easy to think of witty comebacks in retrospect, when, IRL sometimes the anger and astonishment leaves you stuttering and gasping for breath. Or your natural inclination to be polite in a civilised setting overwhelms your desire to put an idiot straight.

"I didn't call out a sexist comment - does that make me a bad feminist?"