C-U-Next Tuesday, Aspiring and Jamie!

[Angela]

After your recent discussion and the resultant controversy, I thought of you two, {aspiring} and Jamie, when I saw that Jane Fonda had dropped the c-bomb on the Today Show, referring to the title of a theatrical piece of the same name, so it was totally in context, not offensive, but the network still went out of its way to edit out the word for the West Coast broadcast and apologized profusely to its audience for the offence.

Maybe this gives you an idea, Jamie, of just how prickly Americans are about this word! (But just ten years ago, you couldn't say "vagina" in public, as pointed out by Eve Ensler in the same clip.)

Ai chihuahua! (not a profanity).

Jane Fonda To America: C U Next Tuesday

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

I heard about that. There's context, there's intent and there's the word itself. I think my issue as a woman has more to do with the cultural acceptability of derogatory terms relating to females and the expectation that we just "get over it, it's no big deal, just a word" I haven't formulated my stance on this fully, but I'd love to get a discussion going to see if other people have any ideas on the subject.

[Angela]

I think a big part of it is when it's used as an insult towards a man, and I can see where Jamie's use of it looked like that, since the majority of politicians are male. It's like, the worst thing you can call a man is: a woman!

It's kind of an escalated form of the word, "*****" -- when it's used derogatorily towards men. You're weak or overly emotional, like a woman. That used to be just about the worst insult the boys in high school with hurl at each other. The C word adds more of an aggressively harmful, devouring, kind of "bitchy" aspect to it.

It's too bad, really; these should be very sweet, sexy words.

edit: * oh, that got asterisked. You know the word I mean, the feline one.

[Joely]

I don't use it, but I don't attach any particular significance to it either, since there are a number of terms for - let's be posh - male genitalia out there that one can use for derogatory purposes. Foul language is foul because societies deem it to be such and it usually reflects that society's taboos, fears and paranoias.

[Joely]

Originally Posted by Angela

I think a big part of it is when it's used as an insult towards a man, and I can see where Jamie's use of it looked like that, since the majority of politicians are male. It's like, the worst thing you can call a man is: a woman!

Very true! Look at all the other insults men fling at each other to basically undermine each other's masculinity. When I think of it in those terms, I'm not offended, I'm just deeply amused.

[Angela]

Yeah, it works both ways, too. One of the most hurtful epithets for a woman is to have her femininity called into question -- so many profane names women to do just that! The meanest, squintiest names to call a woman are all meant to point out that she's not doing her main job as a woman: to be soft and yielding and pleasant. And the Queen of the Cursewords, the C-word -- maybe the reason it's the absolute worst monster of all is that it accuses the woman of using this sacred femininity as a trick, a hoax, a trap, a cover-up for what she really is: a black hole, in which, once a man has become ensnared, he is crushed and utterly destroyed.

You're right! It is amusing!

[Joely]

Originally Posted by Angela

Yeah, it works both ways, too. One of the most hurtful epithets for a woman is to have her femininity called into question -- so many profane names women to do just that! The meanest, squintiest names to call a woman are all meant to point out that she's not doing her main job as a woman: to be soft and yielding and pleasant. And the Queen of the Cursewords, the C-word -- maybe the reason it's the absolute worst monster of all is that it accuses the woman of using this sacred femininity as a trick, a hoax, a trap, a cover-up for what she really is: a black hole, in which, once a man has become ensnared, he is crushed and utterly destroyed.

That was so poetic! I love it. They're the kind of lines that need to be read aloud whilst wearing black stiletto heeled boots.

[Lola]

oh! This is about swear words!

I was fixin' to get my nose out of joint thinking Angela, Aspiring and Jamie were having a get together and didn't ask me.

[Angela]

That would be an interesting get-together!

[Lola]

You'd have to wear your moderator hat, Angela!

[Angela]

We don't wear hats, Lola. We wear shiny badges. All the time.

[Lola]

Ok, good, cuz I was worried the hat might not go with your cute outfit.

But - all the time you wear the shiny badge? Doesn't it get pokey when you're sleeping?

Oh wait, you probably never sleep either. (Silly Lola)

[Honeywith4bees]

As far as using "derogatory" words goes, personally, I don't use them, I enjoy using better explicatives than mere ordinary swear words. However, we give these mere words power by how we act towards them. When my gay friends started calling themselves queers, I was, firstly, rather taken aback by the harshness of the word. But the idea behind the gay population "taking back" the word queer, was that by them adopting it as their own, it takes away the power from others who want to use it against them. Am I articulating this well? There is another population that has "taken back" the c**t word as well, for the same reason. You can't use it against me if it's already something I'm comfortable saying myself.