C*nt - American vs UK?

[Justjoinedforthis]

So I just recently found out that cunt as an insult has very different connotations in the US and the UK. In the US apparently it is more used as a horrible insult against women, or men deemed effeminate. Maybe an American can confirm this is correct?

I have personally never found it offensive, but thinking about it in the American context I think it would be a pretty horrible word. Now am trying to think back to any times I have used it jokingly in front of Americans...they must think I am awful.

It is a horrible word to use here and just as offensive as in the US.

What do you think it means in the uk?

Personally it's one of my favourite words but I know that some people in the UK find it vulgar and offensive.

You can say 'cunt' on Mumsnet - no need for the asterisk.

It is a vulgar word and not one I’d ever use

In the UK it is not a word that would be specifically direct at women or gay men, and it can be used in a friendly way!

I didn't want to put it in the subject line as I know lots of people don't like it. But you are right it doesn't make a difference with an asterisk does it.

But you are right it doesn't make a difference with an asterisk does it

Rather draws attention to it, if anything ...

I’ve never heard it used in a friendly way.

I’m American and British. It’s very offensive in America no matter how you use it. It’s not just used against women and gay men

I’m in the UK 30 years. No one uses it in a friendly manner so I’m not sure about the friends of the previous poster

I can certainly tell you it’s not a word my DH uses not have my now adult children who range from early 20s to 30s.

Best just avoid the word.

It was considered grossly offensive, just about the worst word you can say, when I was growing up in England two decades ago. Saying it habitually is a very recent thing here.

In any case, I'm trying to stop using terms for a woman or a woman's body parts as insults. I think there's deep mysogyny in such usage.

It's used a lot more commonly over here than in the States. In 20 years over there, I think I only heard it used once, and it really is considered beyond the pale.

But then, motherfucker is used fairly casually there and not heard over here so much 🤷‍♀️.

I know women who use it as a 'friendly' insult, but I think it's horrible to hear and is one of those words that falls into that awkward category of 'I'm allowed to use it but you're not'.

I've never heard it used in a friendly manner😂

I'm pretty liberal with my sweat words, but I never use the word cunt.

It is a foul word. Grossly offensive and disgusting. And anyone that uses it in such a common way would go down in my opinion of them.

It is a very offensive word in the U.K. too! I would judge someone who uses that word frequently.

I have to be blood boiling angry before I ever use that word. It absolutely isn't a friendly word.

I use the word cunt and admit I do swear routinely, both in and out of anger.

I've never understood why the word cunt is considered so taboo and offensive compared to other curse words?

Is being compared to a males genitals less offensive than being compared to a woman's?

Genuine question- not goady.

I wouldn't say it to my nan, but a recent example of a friendly use was when my friend (in her 30s) told me she went to a Harry Potter event, and I laughed and called her a cunt. In London growing up with a quite punky friendship group it was quite a common word - maybe it was a case of trying to sound outrageous. I would only say it with people I have known for many years, not the school mums for example.

What prompted this was watching an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Larry calls a man a cunt during a poker game, and is later mortified when the man came out as gay. I didn't get the link, so had a google and the internet told me it's used against women/gay men more in the US. Maybe this was misinformation though.

Anyway I am going out now, so if everyone turns on me and decided it is ME who is the cunt, I am not hiding : )

I use cunt affectionately. DH and I call each other a cunt jokingly, as an over the top insult. I would also call one of my male friends a daft cunt.

I don't use it much outside the home, and wouldn't say it around people I don't know very well. That said, I did once use it at work to describe Michael Gove, but in a teachers' staff room that's pretty much one of the more positive ways to describe him! I also wouldn't use it around Americans as I am aware that there it is far more shocking / beyond the pale than here.

I would apply it equally to men and women. Actually, more likely to be used in reference to a man, as they are more likely to be deserving of being called a cunt, in my experience!

A lot of swearing is rooted in misogyny, so I don't see why this one word is seen as worse than any other word. Why is cunt worse than twat? They mean the exact same thing!

I'm dual American and British, and I don't think there is any difference in the connotation. It means the same. It's an offensive word, but's also something that people might use towards their friends in a jokey manner. Much the same way that another word that begins with N is used. But there really aren't any significant cultural differences. Maybe you just surround yourself with British people who have a tendency to use horrible words like it's normal?

I think it’s the worst of all swear words in America. A real pearl clutcher. Here, it’s bad but seems equal to bitch or asshole.

But that applies to many words, the meaning isn’t the problem. Shit is worse than crap which is worse than poo.

That was to SirSamuel

I've never understood the deep rooted hatred of cunt, to me, slut or slapper, are far more offensive and are used much more liberally.

Didn't know about the whole applying it to a gay man or woman idea in the US though. It's very much a unisex insult to me!