To ask for help explaining why C**T is offensive

[Mehfruittea]

So I think most people agree that the C word is offensive. But someone in the internet is arguing that it's not and everyone else needs to just grow up, that it is not sexist racist xenophobic etc.

Can I have your help explaining why this word is offensive to women in particular? Thus making it sexist? Please give me your strongest argument against this word.

I'm not interested in any comments from people who think it's okay, there is already a big fan club for this word I'm trying to argue against it!!

TIA

It is widely acknowledged as an extreme insult - people don't use it in place of 'git' or 'arsehole'. They use it to mean the worst thing they can think of. So why, oh why, is the worst thing they can think of my fanny?

Love it - used sparingly and effectively. Properly old word, vintage even. Hate hate hate vagina though!

Sorry - just actually read to the bottom of your OP!

It is pretty universally considered to be a very crude slang term for a womans private anatomy.
To call someone that is also universally recognised as being a particularly strong insult.
This makes it more insulting to women as it is association, of her most intimate area (which many have hang ups about as lets face it, vaginas aren't pretty to look at) being like a person with an ugly, rude, annoying, disgusting or offensive personality/demeanor.

It insinuates womens intimate areas are ugly/offensive/disgusting etc.

My personal view on it, is that it is sexist, and an awful word, the way it sounds is just, cringey.

Up here in my part of Central Scotland it can be used quite affectionally 'aye he's a gid cunt' or as a normal swear word 'oh ya cunt yeh' - lost its extremeness by people using it

That's Ok jelly, I'm not too sensitive about it myself but feel the need to intervene as no one in this argument really gets the essence of what the word means. Can on using it when necessary! Just not on a public twitter page promoting your business!!

I don't find it anymore offensive than calling someone a dick or a penis or variation thereof. Its just a crap word that daft idiots use in an attempt to upset/offend someone.
Its only as offensive as you let it be. Dont react and the idiot using the word wont bother with it again because they get no reaction. Kick off with all guns blazing and theyre going to keep using it because you then reenforce their opinion of you by going bonkers at them.

Obviously this is only my opinion but theres millions of other things I would rather spend my energy worrying about than just a word.

I'm quite on the fence about it.

Otoh, I love "Monty, you terrible cunt!" in Withnail and I.

But I don't like the cunt nns on Mumsnet. I think it's overused as a swear word on here too.

And when blokes banter with each other and casually call each other cunt ... nah, I'm not a fan.

There's a new swearies thread, pop on there and ask them

Interestingly, it was not considered to be an offensive word historically.

I don't know but I'm interested in the answers - from a feminist perspective it kind of annoys me that cunt is generally seen as such a massive insult but the male equivalents of knob/dick are pretty mild

I don't see it as any different as, dickhead, knob, arsehole, its along those veins.

I think any word that uses a vagina as an insult is stupid, I don't think cunt is any worse than twat or pussy really, they all imply the worst you can possibly be likened to is female anatomy.
Calling someone penis related insults isn't seen as so bad, it's even a bit silly. Ya dong. Knobhead.
I don't mind swearing at all, but I do mind the patriarchy.

I personally find it a horridly offensive word, one I have never used or intend to. It's a hand grenade of a word - said to give maximum offense and always achieving it. But I honestly don't know why I feel that way about it.

I love it. But you have to use it judiciously or it loses its impact.

I guess it's the way it's used, to some people it's disgusting. (I love the word)... I don't get why it's sexist though, cunt is a slang word for vagina. Just like dick and knob are slang words for penis, yet people get more offended at being called a vagina than a penis!

I hate it cos it's supposed to be the most offensive word and it also means my genitals. So I take that as a massive insult . Although I now say 'no, cant be a cunt, doesn't have the warmth or the depth '

Like allertse it bothers me that calling someone a vagina is considered so offensive. One friend of mine said that feminists should reclaim it and we should all refer to our cuntal areas.

It's effectiveness as an insult is I think due to all the hard sounds in the word.it can be quite spat out. Like a few other ancient Anglo saxon phrases.

Another Scot here...I wouldn't consider it offensive!

that's the whole point, cunt is usually considered far worse than prick/dick/knob....because women are vile smelly and disgusting, whereas men are only faintly ridiculous

I hate this word. It just sounds horrible. Can't explain why but I think there's no need for it imo

It wasn't offensive historically, no. But that just proves the point. In THIS society, the word that means my genitalia is an insult.

I don't get the pearl clutching over the word cunt.

It's no worse or better than twat, knob, dick etc.

I would like to see it used more often in the vernacular, then people wouldn't be so silly about it.

Surely if you think something is offensive you must have your own reasons why. why she re you asking other people to explain why you find a word offensive? Or have you just decided it is offensive because lots of other people say it is and you've never really formed your own opinion on it?

Like all words, it is the associations that are offensive -or are perceived to be offensive - not the word itself.