(To monitor: I wanted to post this in Just Plain Talk but there's no New Conversation button)
I had thought for a while that the word "cunt" should not be used as an insult as it relates to a perfectly nice part of the female anatomy - which is not an insulting thing to own.
Warning: I'm going to talk frankly about unsettling words we hear everyday on the street, on tv, and even in the office and in our homes.
Maybe like me you're tired of hearing sexual terms used to express derision and anger. There's lots of abusive language around. I;m limiting my peeve to the sexual terms. For example: Fuck you! Fuck! Suck my cock! Cocksucker! Cunt! Prick! Men may have started this and have deep-seated reasons but that's another discussion. We're all, men and women, using these words to express negative things.
It hurts my feelings. Yes, it hurts me to hear someone mix sex with hate. If it bothers you too you can do something about it. I can't stop every kid on the street from saying these things. But I have started to stop myself from using sexual words to express anger (this means relying on Damn! and Shit! - hey I'm not an angel) and have asked a couple of my close male friends not to express hate and anger with sexual words.These are very nice guys who are surprised and embarassed when I bring it up. I try not to be moralizing and confrontational about it, just focus on how it makes me feel. We're all embarassed to say these words in a serious conversation.
Personally, I think the word Fuck can be sweet, tender, sexy, when said with affection at the right moment. With my lover I expressed myself this way and felt liberated. It's also one of the easiest words to use in these situations.
Decide what words you'd like to hear said in a different way. You can reclaim the word Fuck if you want to.
Go Nice Grrls and Boyz!
Jennifer
By Celia Gardner on Friday, November 6, 1998 - 07:52 am:
But what DO you say to express extreme feelings of anger or hate? Do tell.