reclaiming the "C Word"

[BVS]

I did. Sorry you couldn't understand what I meant by that statement and question, maybe others here will figure it out.

The FCC is a completely different arguement. Don't patronize me. Let's remember the FCC is also the same government commitee that got upset about speaking against the president.

Don't feel bad... that's called sticking to the subject, which is about reclaiming the 'c' word, not treatises on the defense of '******'. Nice attempt, though.

You are the one who placed it in your list. So it was subject. You should be able to defend it...

Oh well...

 

[Angela Harlem]

...as a heart attack.

Have you ever seen "The Vagina Monologues" when the Ensler character has everyone stand up and yell "CUNT!" ?

Did you freak out and act offended, or did you try to understand what she was trying to do?

Never seen The Vagina Monologues. I dont really ever intend to. Live theatre is not my thing, regardless of theme or topic.

My point is, you cannot have a suits-all solution when this word certainly means a great deal to some people. I am aware there are countless numbers of people this doesn't offend or affect, and that's wondeful. However, in order to assist or aid those it does cause immeasurable problems, leaving the word out of polite speech is not asking too much.

 

[4U2Play]

The FCC is a completely different arguement. Don't patronize me. Let's remember the FCC is also the same government commitee that got upset about speaking against the president.

The FCC is exactly this argument... who gets to decide which words are "offensive" or not? You? Michael Powell? Eve Ensler? What does speaking against the president have to to with whether certain words should be 'reclaimed'? Stick to the subject, you're all over the place.

You are the one who placed it in your list. So it was subject. You should be able to defend it...

I also "placed" the word "motherfucker" on my list... why don't you demand that I 'defend' that word, too? You seem obsessed with '******', I suggest you start a new thread on that subject instead of trying to hijack this one with your pet peeve.

 

[jenU2child]

I am always amazed at how we can create a curse-word or a negative word simply by conotation. We can make a word like "douche-bag" into such a derrogatory curse used by more than half of male teenagers in America. Where do our word conotations start? What makes a word stop having it's original meaning and become something totally different and horrible?

I think words are just words. Why should we place so much value on a few letters pieced together? I know there are certain words that come with baggage, a representation of historical wrong-doings and shame, but shouldn't we move on, and stop letting our own words hold us captive? Shouldn't we ourselves let go and begin to embrace words like cunt? I would love to show those people who have made it derrogatory the truth: they cannot take my words away.

It amazes me that instead of saying f*ck, children and teens say freak or frick. Isn't that just becoming an alternate curse for the real thing? Every curse word has it's alternative, easier-on-the-ears, safe-for-children version. It's very odd how we have not chosen more intelligent terms, but only altercated the original term slightly, just enough to be safe, but retaining the word enough to recognize it's intent.

I have read and adore the Vagina Monologues. I would love to see a live performance. I enjoy the fact that I grow up in a generation in which many people can say words aloud that other generations never would have imagined. Even the scientific names for the female body, like vagina, and vulva, are seen as hush-hush words by people, even today. How did it become so desperate that a woman cannot even speak words expressing the parts of her body without shame and censorship? I love dispelling negative conotations and replacing them with loving thoughts and conotations.

 

[4U2Play]

Excellent post.

 

[BVS]

The FCC is exactly this argument... who gets to decide which words are "offensive" or not? You? Michael Powell? Eve Ensler? What does speaking against the president have to to with whether certain words should be 'reclaimed'? Stick to the subject, you're all over the place.

No this wasn't a broadcast issue. This was an issue that reached upon broadcast. The only reason I mentioned the president was the ridiculous overcasting power of the FCC when it came to certain issues...

I also "placed" the word "motherfucker" on my list... why don't you demand that I 'defend' that word, too? You seem obsessed with '******', I suggest you start a new thread on that subject instead of trying to hijack this one with your pet peeve.

A pet peeve? Are you new to society?

The word 'motherfucker' has never had a violent connotation to a certain group or people. You can't be serious!!! If you are, I feel sorry for you.

 

[4U2Play]

The only reason I mentioned the president was the ridiculous overcasting power of the FCC when it came to certain issues...

Like penalizing broadcasters that use the words 'cunt' and '******'?

A pet peeve? Are you new to society?

Yes, I am new to society. Where does one find a good pizza around here?

The word 'motherfucker' has never had a violent connotation to a certain group or people.

That's because the word has not yet become politicized, the way you and others try to politicize words like '******' and 'cunt', giving them huge meaning and weighing them down with historical injustices dating back centuries.

Believe it or not, your most-hated words will one day have little effect, despite all your efforts.

You can't be serious!!! If you are, I feel sorry for you.

Oh, I'm serious, all right, but don't feel sorry for me, I can handle your consistently humorless, snide remarks!

 

[BVS]

Actually, I give up. Enjoy being on top with your offensive language, hopefully your children won't suffer from it...

 

[4U2Play]

Actually, I give up. Enjoy being on top with your offensive language, hopefully your children won't suffer from it...

Oh, don't you worry about my children, sweetie, I'm sure you have other more important things to worry about in your busy life.

And please refrain from using the F-word all the time, like you do in your other posts, it really makes you sound angry and frustrated.

 

[BVS]

And please refrain from using the F-word all the time, like you do in your other posts, it really makes you sound angry and frustrated.

You seem a little obsessed...

It doesn't offend you does it?

 

[4U2Play]

You seem a little obsessed...

It doesn't offend you does it?

Hey, I thought you gave up?

I hope you're not falling in love with me, that would be bad.

Um, let's see, what were you mumbling about now? Oh, obsessed, yes, I'm obsessed, thank you, what should I do about it, doctor?

What else...

No, the F-word doesn't offend me, I'm just looking out for all my fellow interferencers who might chafe at your consist use of vulgar language as a means of emphasis. Some here might find it rude and distasteful... we don't want to be like that, do we.

 

[BVS]

 

[4U2Play]

Yes!

Wait a second, is that derisive laughter????

Shame on you, BVS, you disappoint me once again

 

[BonosSaint]

I've used cunt as insult as in uber-bitch. I've used it with affection among friends. It's just a word to me. On a whole, I prefer vulgarism.

That being said, I'm not going to go out of my way to offend somebody. I understand the concern when it is used as a weapon (degradation is in the intent, not the word) And to use cunt as a semi- political tool would bore the hell out of me and rob me of the pleasure of using the word for its own linguistic sake.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Not a fan of that word. Some people use certain words in anger and it is not indicative of what their agendas and prejudices are, others use words as weapons and they are completely indicative of same. So how do you determine that unless you know someone well enough? Best option for me is that people refrain from using them in public and in places such as school, the workplace, etc. Using a word like that as part of a consistent overall pattern of language and behavior is a problem for me.

Words aren't always just words when you've been the victim of verbal harassment and/or emotional abuse, chauvinism, things like that. The scars from that can linger long after any scars from physical abuse. You never know where someone is coming from and what they have experienced in life. People have varying levels of sensitivity and you can't impose your level on them and assume they're the same.

Yes "taking back the word" does sound like psychobabble, if I want to empower myself there are much better ways than referring to other women in that way. When I get angry at other women I do the best I can to catch myself before I say something I regret. Yes some women are just not nice people, but they're also not bitches or whatever term you want to use just because they stick up for themselves or take a stand when necessary. A consistent pattern of being/behaving a certain way as a human being usually constitutes "bitch" to me, I have my own definition but I'll keep that to myself. One thing I do know for sure- women are called bitches and the c word for behavior that is applauded in men, quite often.

I find for me personally, the best way to empower myself is through self awareness and through feeling good enough about myself to believe that I deserve better. The more you do that, the less power any words can have over you. That being said, I certainly would avoid any man who consistently uses that word or certain other words. Bad news. I am also still very disappointed when a man I admire, and I believe him to be a certain type of man, chooses to use words like that. I think as women we should be building each other up, and for me personally calling each other the c word just isn't the optimum way to go about that.

 

[silja]

I more or less agree MrsS

It seems to me that there is a different question here as well. Unlike the slurs '******' and 'mother fucker' the word cunt also has literal meaning. It is simply a name for a part of the female reproductive organ. If we could reclaim the word for that use I would consider that a great thing.

 

[Liesje]

It seems to me that there is a different question here as well. Unlike the slurs '******' and 'mother fucker' the word cunt also has literal meaning. It is simply a name for a part of the female reproductive organ. If we could reclaim the word for that use I would consider that a great thing.

Kind of like "Nazi" is simply shorthand for the National Socialist party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei)?

I dunno, some words are just beyond reclaiming, and like anitram says, this C-word issue is pretty much at the bottom of the priority list.

 

[silja]

'Nazi' is refers to a member of Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or a person sharing that particularly disgusting world view - in every way a sickening thought

Cunt refers to the vagina and is not shorthand for anything. My point is that there is not anything repulsive about the object of the word.

And let me clarify: I wouldn’t use the word in polite company while it has such strong derogatory connotations – but it would be nice to have a word for the most personal part of the female body that doesn’t make you sound like an anatomy lesson.

 

[VintagePunk]

Has any group really ever been made better, stronger, more empowered because of a "reclaimed" word? The entire concept seems a little silly to me.

 

[Irvine511]

Has any group really ever been made better, stronger, more empowered because of a "reclaimed" word? The entire concept seems a little silly to me.

i suppose i agree.

i've never, ever used the word "queer" in a serious context.

though i'd use "fag" or "homo" with close friends, because it can be cute and silly.

though i'd never touch "faggot." that one still reeks of hate and potential violence to me. it just feels uncomfortable.

 

[joyfulgirl]

though i'd never touch "faggot." that one still reeks of hate and potential violence to me. it just feels uncomfortable.

Just two nights ago I was over at a friend's and we had on VH-1 classic rock videos in the background. The video for Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing" came on and we commented that we couldn't believe they got away with saying "faggot" in 1985. And it was a huge, huge hit. It's weird that I never really even thought about it before or even contemplated the lyrics very much. Was this a homophobic statement or a statement about homophobes? Any thoughts? Not to derail the thread...but seems relevant.

See the little faggot with the earring and the makeup
Yeah buddy that's his own hair
That little faggot got his own jet airplane
That little faggot he's a millionaire

 

[Irvine511]

See the little faggot with the earring and the makeup
Yeah buddy that's his own hair
That little faggot got his own jet airplane
That little faggot he's a millionaire

i do remember that, and i do remember singing along to that when i was, like, 7 years old and not thinking much of it.

i think Mark Knopfler was quoting guys he heard in a television store talking about a Prince video or something.

in this context, "faggot" is probably more to do with an effeminate-seeming male (kind of what Eminem says he means when he uses "faggot" ... and i sort of believe him, though that's a whole other topic) than anything specifically anti-gay.

i suppose it's worse when someone knows someone else is gay, and then uses "faggot" in a derogatory way.

 

[joyfulgirl]

i think Mark Knopfler was quoting guys he heard in a television store talking about a Prince video or something.

in this context, "faggot" is probably more to do with an effeminate-seeming male (kind of what Eminem says he means when he uses "faggot" ... and i sort of believe him, though that's a whole other topic) than anything specifically anti-gay.

Being a fan of their music but not knowing much about them and never having investigated what Knopfler meant, I hope you're right, and it sounds right. Also, I don't think the word carried the weight then than it does now. Gays in 1985 were already using it with each other much like they do "queer" today but it didn't seem to stick; the negativity of it just seemed to get worse and then the word was basically abandoned by gays and is now mostly used by very ignorant people. That's my take on it anyway.

 

[Shaliz]

I have to agree with Anitram and others that reclaiming this word wouldn't be high on my list of priorities.

Whether I found the word offensive or not on its own, I would still find it offensive to be referred to by my genitalia, no matter what the context.

 

[nbcrusader]

i suppose it's worse when someone knows someone else is gay, and then uses "faggot" in a derogatory way.

I agree in that you know someone's intent - which shows the culpability of the speaker.

I most other cases with these "banned" words, intent is inferred based solely on the use of the word.

 

[Bonochick]

4U2Play and BonoVoxSupastar, I think that's enough.

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

I guess my question is, why deal with it in the first place? What value does the word "cunt" have that's worth salvaging?

I would ask the same thing. I never use the c-word. IMO, it's a vile, useless word. I don't care if the Vagina Monologues wants us all to stand up and scream it. I don't use it, don't plan to use it, and don't buy into the "reclaiming" of it. Like others here have said, there are more pressing issues at hand than the use of the c-word.

 

[jenU2child]

That being said, I'm not going to go out of my way to offend somebody. I understand the concern when it is used as a weapon (degradation is in the intent, not the word) And to use cunt as a semi- political tool would bore the hell out of me and rob me of the pleasure of using the word for its own linguistic sake.

I definitely agree with that. I would never go out of my way to offend someone just so I could "reclaim" a word. That's just being respectful of others.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

Has any group really ever been made better, stronger, more empowered because of a "reclaimed" word? The entire concept seems a little silly to me.

"That's Hot"

is

also empowering...

Maybe some human conditions were never meant to be understood. Perhaps the needless claims and trademarks and reclaims of words in the dictionary, or the Urban Dictionary is the most difficult to understand in regards to generating empowerment.

 

[bonoman]

In all honestly I use the word many times throughout my day. But I tend to not say it in the presence of women. For fear of being made to look like an asshole, maybe, but out of respect.

When looking at the word from a American/Canadian standpoint it is very offensive. But when I'm at my house in Ireland and this word is used it is nearly acepted as normal.

I only use the word out of frustration or say it to other male friends of mine. I could not see how that would be hurting the cause of making the word less loaded.

With males using this word more and more towards other males is this good for this so called 'reclaiming'?