To find the way that the word 'cunt' is used to be far more offensive than the word itself?

[SixImpossible]

To see MNers referring to men as cunts really boils my blood. Swear if you want to, but why do you have to use the female anatomy to describe the worst of men? What's wrong with calling them dicks?

Surely our cunts are a good part of us?

It's vulgar either way to use it.

it's a great word, in the correct context. Whilst disagreeing with a lot of things here on Mumsnet - and the preciousness of some people on some stupid issues - it's fine to use it in the context commented by the OP.

It's arguably the strongest, most vivid and shocking word in the English language.

It's just a word. I HATE all this "Oh it's the WORST word" shit. It's no more offensive than fuck, cock or tit. I find the disgust people display regarding the word offensive. It's my genitalia...it's not disgusting and the word is just another coarse description...no worse than cock or fanny.

yanbu
nothing wrong with the word, everything wrong with using it as the worst possible insult which it seems to have the status of - I have yet to hear the word broadcast on bbc, while fuck seems to be acceptable
reclaim the word, that's what I say

I agree. The idea that the female genitalia is the most disgusting thing you can describe someone as is pretty insulting really. Why are cunts more disgusting that dicks? In real life, I'm sure we'd argue that they are not. So the words shouldn't be used as if a cunt was the most disgusting thing that could be imagined.

I have one. It isn't.

I have no time for people who express an especial horror for the word 'cunt'. It's no worse than 'cock', 'dick' or 'prick'. I use them all liberally, and I use them all to describe both men and women.

It's not 'the worst word in the English language', I agree. And, while I choose not to use sex for swearing and insulting, that's my choice, not others'. It's not swearing that I have a problem with, it's the choice of words.

AMumInScotland expressed it perfectly: "The idea that the female genitalia is the most disgusting thing you can describe someone as is pretty insulting really. ". Describing a woman as a cunt reduces her to the barest possible minimum definition of a woman. But describing a man as a cunt implies that being female is the worst possible thing to be.

Thing is when I call someone a dickhead I don't actually mean they have a penis on the end of their neck, same with calling someone a cunt, I'm certainly not implying they are a giant vagina. I'm using words to impart my negative feelings towards them, and 'your a nasty piece of work and I'll have a good laugh when you get what's coming to you' isn't quite a succinct as 'you're a cunt'.

Genitalia, sex and bodily waste are the starting point for most good swear words. Imho cunt is only deemed so offensive because of the notion women are all delicate little flowers and the smelling salts are needed for any reference to what lies in the the gusset of out knickers.

I appreciate that others see it differently and put it's use down to degradation of women, but I'm not convinced and see it more as a hangover from expectations of lady like behaviour, so I guess we're in the same area from very different view points.

Fwiw, I use my insults with equality in mind so certainly won't refrain from using any word against either gender.

I don't care to be honest but I do think some people really over think these things.

'Bastard' is probably the most commonly used insult on MN for men.

Yet considering so many of us have children born out of wedlock, we still use it as an insult.

That's (I assume) because we just don't over think it all.

It's the one word I was taught never to use and so won't.

Words over time evolve differing meanings. You've only got to look at how the list of acceptable and unacceptable terms relating to race have changed, even in my lifetime, as an example of that.

I try to go by content to work out intention. My elderly relatives use words now deemed offensive but were acceptable in their day. This is much the same if my refusal to use the 'c' word in real life.

Of course there are those who definitely set out to offend, and I see that very differently, especially as that can be done with acceptable wording but purely using time and context.

this neighbour of mine who uses 'fuck' as every part of speech in every conversation she has, is a raging alkie and a dreadful malicious gossip thinks that 'cunt' is the worst thing you could ever say....
meh....

I agree with you OP, but it is common on MN.

Good point about the word 'bastard'.

Personally I absolutely loathe the word, especially when spat out with such venom, by women.