AIBU to start a thread discussing the word Cunt?

[FeegleFion]

I know before I start, that there will be a lot of you who really disagree with using the word Cunt.

I want to start a discussion about it, as I personally, feel that using the word in a positive manner is to be encouraged.

I am from Glasgow and I use/ have always used the word as a term of affection "You're a good wee cunt you".

I wanted to start this thread because I have just come across the following on a Women's Rights forum and I really hope to change negative opinion and association:

CUNT

Considered to be the most vile, obscene and vulgar 'swear word' in the English language, the word 'Cunt' in the vernacular means vagina.
As if that is not indication enough why it is considered so vile in the vagina-hating Patriarchy, the word itself was originally a term of respect and reverence for a powerful, spiritually enlightened woman.

'Cunt' derives from 'Kunda' or 'Cunti', the Oriental Great Goddess.
She was the Great Yoni of the Universe, where all life came from and to where all life returned for renewal.

From this same word came the words country, kin and kind.

So, for your delectation, rumination and reasoned discussion, I give you, the word Cunt discuss.

[yaimee]

And any word or phase that suggest that a vagina is nothing but a receptacle for a man, I find that more offensive too.

[IgnatiusSprat]

And any word or phase that suggest that a vagina is nothing but a receptacle for a man, I find that more offensive too.

Yes, I hate that. And any word that describes the penis as a weapon. Like 'pork sword' or anything of that ilk. It's vile

[snowynight]

Ignatius - because calling someone (particularly a man) a cunt is considered to be the most offensive thing you can ever say.

calling him a cock just isn't as bad.

[curlew]

I must have not explained myself properly. Culturally, cunt has always been seen as a "worse" word than any of the other genitalia based insults. Men have always used dick, cock and so on amongst themselves, and while they can be aggressive iif the context and tone makes them so, men have always reached for "cunt " when they really want to insult someone, man or woman. Basically it' saying that the most disgusting, offensive, degraded thing they can possibly think of are women's genitals. Not just genitals in general- women's genitals.

[1Veryhungrycaterpillar]

What about the disgusting words that claim to describe the Vaginas appearance, 'badly packed kebab' anyone??

[snowynight]

Yy curlew - i have no problem with cunt being used to describe a vagina, just hate it as an insult.

[IgnatiusSprat]

Oh OK. OK that makes sense. I didn't know that it was considered by the people who use it to be the ultimate in insults - I just assumed that if people were using it, then they didn't consider it to be beyond the pale - in the same way that people use it all the time on here.

Thank you for explaining it. Told you it was a stupid question (!)

[WorraLiberty]

I think it's funny that so many of the posters who don't like seeing cunt used as an insult, can often be seen on the relationship topic saying things like....

"Your DH is a prick"

"OMG why does he act like a dick"

"What a fucking bell end"

Etc....

[AKissIsNotAContract]

And any word or phase that suggest that a vagina is nothing but a receptacle for a man, I find that more offensive too.

You might want to stop using the word 'vagina' then as it means 'sword sheath'

[mrsjay]

to call somebody a cunt is insulting I dont care if people want to reclaim a swear word and make it whatever women calling each other cunts is just awful and Im not saying that as some sort of prim and proper thing it was traditionally used by men to insult each other as in you are nothing more than a cunt (vagina) there fore not worthy ,

[mrsjay]

ecause calling someone (particularly a man) a cunt is considered to be the most offensive thing you can ever say.

this what I should said keep it short and not rambling

[curlew]

Worraliberty- we were just talking about that- you might want to read back a bit?

[WorraLiberty]

I read before I posted thanks curlew

[curlew]

So do you think that dick, prick and cunt are all about equal levels of offensiveness?

[yaimee]

Really akiss that's interesting. I love learning about the origins of words. Still like it better than 'prick pocket' mentioned up thread.

[WorraLiberty]

I think it's hypocritical to object to one set of genitalia being used as an insult and not another.

[HollyBerryBush]

cunt = quint = used in Chaucer and Shakespeare.

Get offended if you like. But most people have no idea of the origin of words

[curlew]

But there is a hierarchy of insults and swear words.. "You tit!" example, is, I suppose, on a par with "you dick!" "Damn" is milder than"Bugger", "Fuck" stronger than "shit".

I can't think of an insult drawn from men's genitals that has anything like the strength and cultural baggage that "cunt" has- but maybe I'm wrong?

[FeegleFion]

I actually agree that the word Cunt was originally used as a misogynistic slur and even those preposterous descriptives such as 'hairy axe wound' etc were used to keep women oppressed, whereas cock and prick aren't quite as offensive IYSWIM?

But that's the whole point of reclaiming our Cunts as ours.

[WorraLiberty]

But why would tit be on a par with dick?

A dick is a reproductive organ and I'd say it's pretty much on par with a cunt.

But having said that, calling anyone a body part is childish anyway so I don't understand why some people take this debate so seriously.

And I've read the OP saying a couple of times now that 'a cunt is a beautiful thing'.

Well to me it's no more beautiful than your ear or your arse

It's just a body part.

[AKissIsNotAContract]

I can't think of an insult drawn from men's genitals that has anything like the strength and cultural baggage that "cunt" has- but maybe I'm wrong?

But isn't that a good thing? Men's genitals are ridiculed and laughed at far more than women's

[WorraLiberty]

But that's the whole point of reclaiming our Cunts as ours.

Well I don't know about you, but my cunt has always been mine...Lol

While there's freedom of speech, people can and will call each other cunts...even if some people don't like it.

[curlew]

I was talking about th hierarchy of insults, worraliberty- rather than an analysis of body parts!

[IgnatiusSprat]

I didn't know that historically cunt had a greater aggressive or sexist meaning than using any other bodily related organ as an insult. Understanding that means I can understand why some women find it to be more insulting than saying 'dick' etc. On the one hand I think it's irrelevant; no one I know who uses the word 'cunt' does it in the way that curlew and others have described (as the 'ultimate' insult: the worst thing you could be is a vagina). But on the other hand, if I'm to argue that it's cultural roots are irrelevant then I may as well argue that a man calling another man a 'cock sucker' is on a par with calling them a dick. And it's not. It's homophobic. So....

I dunno. I just tend to avoid the issue entirely by not saying it.

[IgnatiusSprat]

I'm not sure than any of that makes sense outside of my head