The 'c' word

Cunt is a fine old Anglo Saxon word for a vital and amazing part of a woman's body. There is nothing offensive in the word — any more than the word vagina or vulva.

It's been subverted by men and used as a term of abuse — to abuse women and men. There's nothing wrong with the word, just the way it's been used. We can reclaim it by using it to accurately instead of using euphemisms and by challenging men who use it as an insult. If/ when I encounter a man who uses the word as an insult it tells me everything I need to know about him.

There are no bad or unacceptable words, just words stolen and abused to express hate. Am I the only one to have read Dale Spender's Man Made Language?

I agree with Datun about this. I really deplore the use of "bitch" and other words aimed at putting women down, but I think "cunt" is OK. Or rather, I don't think it's OK to use all the time but I don't think it's necessarily misogynistic.

The reason for that is that swear words obey their own rules. Most of them have long lost any relationship to their original meaning. So when we call someone a "bastard" we don't mean that they were born out of wedlock. When we tell someone to "fuck off" we're not telling them to go and have sexual intercourse. When we say "My phone is buggered" we don't mean that someone has had anal sex with our mobile device. In the same way, when we call someone a "cunt", we're really not thinking about female genitalia.

In Scotland, people just use it to mean ‘person’ half the time like ‘where’s that cunt Derek?’ with no malice towards Derek intended. So like honestly, it feels really shite when (normally) middle class English/American people start trying to say we shouldn’t use that word because it is used so often. Like ‘no, you oiks, please say ‘where is that vulgar man’ instead.’

I hate this clamouring like ‘oh it’s saying that female genitalia is disgusting’. Calm the fuck down, no one even thinks of female genitalia when they say that word in the sense of ‘what a fucking cunt that guy is’.

If you don’t like it, just don’t use it. Don’t
speak to those who use it if you are offended. But telling people what words they can and can’t use, when it’s not actually being used offensively, is fucking bullshit.

It's not a word I would use in rl very much, and I do swear like a sailor, but no, banning words is daft.

And as for the misogyny, I think it's well worth exploring why it's seen as the very worst word in some English-speaking cultures. Personally I love that it can be brought out of the rude word arsenal, when you deployed all those weedy dicks, cocks and bollocks and the most powerful word to use for shock value is a word for female genitals. Like, yeah, penises, whatever, you lot think they are what makes the world go round.

A well placed 'cunt' can stop the traffic.

So no, no bans. Also, think about what a ban on that one word would say, if we're not also banning the equivalent male genital words? This is a predominantly a site that women use, famed for the swears. And we're only allowed to use words for male genitals. Yeah, that don't sound right to me at all.

I want to add something. Because it's an interesting concept - is the word sexist?

I'm wondering if the acid test is to whom the word is directed, rather than what it means.

The words bitch and hysterical are, for most women, an instant indication of a sexist attitude. And they are generally only ever directed at women.

The word cunt is directed at both sexes, but more often, at men. I don't think those men feel as though they are being called female genitalia. The word pussy means female genitalia, but has entirely different connotations when used as an insult. And is rarely used towards women. And why isn't that word just as offensive as the word cunt. What's the difference?

If it's the fact that it refers to female genitalia, they should be equally offensive. And they're not.

Horrible word 🤭

So the op started 2 of these threads, and come back to neither?

Oh an on here its quite often used as a descriptive term...and a term of endearment

I do use the c word In real life which i ought to stop...none of my friends even say fuck!! And i dont allow swearing from the children, the odd f word has slipped out from the boys and dd accidentally said cunt once....she meant kite! She never swears , ever so everyone was like this

BUT...to get back to the point, i dont want any more words banned on here

Oh honestly. It's just a word and is only as powerful as you let it be. I don't think you can police how others express themselves.

I don't find it more offensive than other words. Like most swear words, the level of offensiveness depends on context.

I am very alive to language that demeans women, and I don't think cunt does. Because I don't see it used with the same red alert that, for instance, the word bitch is.

On this board, at least, I see it weaponised by women, far more than sexist men (or sexist women).

You will often have men coming on here being outrageously sexist, whilst staying within the rules. Using the word cunt shocks the bloody life out of them. Because their nasty little sexism utterly relies on women's socialisation to not be rude or vulgar.

So I understand why people object to the worst swearword actually being a term for female genitalia. But in practice, I don't see it ever being leveraged because of that.

And yes, of course, I don't agree with banning words. Any of them.

I use the "c" word all the time.

I'm not really up for banning words and policing of so called bad language either.

That's my tuppence worth.

I love the phrase ‘I’d call you a cunt, but you lack the warmth, depth or usefulness’. I’m still waiting for an appropriate situation to use it in. And MN is a sweary pit of vipers. I would not change it for the world.

No banning but it isn't great to use bad language in general if you can help it.

I don't think any words should be banned.

I use "cunt" all the time, along with all the other genital-related swear words. But then, I'm one of the lessers. Don't copy me, kids!

No banning, OP. It's annoying enough our speech is controlled here as much as it is currently. No need to make it worse.

You can't ban words. You want to ban cunt, some out there want to ban the word 'woman' because it's offensive to them as it's not 'inclusive'. That's not acceptable and neither is banning the word cunt - for whatever reason.

You've done what?

Do you know nothing of the history of MN, and the use and acceptance of the word cunt is a deliberate political act?

The word itself isn't the problem, it's the usage.

It is misogynistic to use it as an insult as then it suggests that female genitalia are terrible and disgusting etc and no one would want to be compared to them

But to use it in a positive way is fine, "I love my cunt" etc

In Spain it is used by everyone as a friendly term towards people you know a bit. It is not an insult at all. I still find it strange and wouldnt use it myself . But it is not offensive and it is generally when men use it as term of abuse that I don't want to hear it. Banning it is counterproductive as is the way we have to censor ourselves here around certain issues

OP perhaps you should go and see the Vagina Monologues

Its a nice powerful word. I agree it is a powerful word but not in any positive way.

Sometimes it's just the right word

Its a nice powerful word. So id like to keep it. Much associated with women is weak and inferior.

I work with someone who says it’s a term of endearment where they come from. Well not really endearment but where you may say ‘ok you bastards/bitches/gits’...