The word cunt comes from an old German word for the female genitals - it appears as 'cunte' in Middle English and was used by Chaucer.
It has only become taboo because of the way it's been increasingly used as a derogatory insult - as opposed to a factual description.
I hate the way it's used, in so much that invariably it's spat out in rage, aggression and contempt. But I also figure that the more it is used in a factual sense (though readily admit that might not be very easy, given the connotations most people instantly attach to it), without people keeling over in a faint, the less potent it becomes as an insult.
When I think about it, the fact that a word for women's genitals has become the ultimate insult infuriates me. Calling someone a cock for example carries far less "meaning" to my mind. Can't help thinking that women generally are insulted each time it's used in the nasty sense, and not just the subject of the situation.
Goodness knows, it's hard enough to describe your genitals (like you do !) using English, without it sounding either coy, clinical or ridiculous. Cunt, as it was originally intended to be used, would be a far better option, but how do "we" reclaim it ? Can't really imagine telling the doctor I had an itchy cunt ....