...... to think it is profoundly anti feminist to use the word "cunt"...

[BertrandRussell]

....to describe, for example, an abusive violent man? I find the idea that, when looking for a word to describe awful, awful behaviour, we use a word for women's genitals horribly misogynistic.

Or am I just stuck in the 70s?

BertrandRussell I'm not talking specifically about what I have said. It does seem though that you just want people to agree with you and your superior feminist views, rather than even compromise on the linguistic theories.

You see a word that came into being hundreds of years ago, when English wasn't even distinguishable to the language it is now, and seemingly refuse that over hundreds of years that word could develop another meaning - whether good, bad or equally offensive. I have given examples of other words that have evolved and differed in meaning in exactly the same way, yet apparently those words aren't comparable because it doesn't fit into your personal crusade against 'cunt'.

Perhaps if you weren't prepared to hear other views on the matter, posting on the Feminist forum would have been more appropriate than AIBU?

How can any English speaking human being with access to a dictionary not understand that a cunt is either female genitalia or a terrible person.

As such the question on the table is how can any woman countenance to herself that a word, without argument, there can be no debate, that is an explicit term for female genitals should also be used as an insult for someone.

The fact you don’t mean it as female genitals is totally and utterly irrelevant, you are using a word that means female genitals to indicate someone’s a terrible person. That’s factual. It has no other meaning. It is female genitals or a terrible person.

Even if uou don’t grasp it, or wish to pretend you don’t to justify to yourself why you wish to be this crude, anti feminist and mysoginistic, then you should at least understand its as taboo as the n word in our society and just like someone’ who uses the n word in their conversation someone who goes around calling people a cunt will be Perceived as just as bad.

However if you can justify to yourself usIng the n word or cunt, you Go right ahead. It says more about you than it does about the person you’re using these words about.

How can any English speaking human being with access to a dictionary not understand that a cunt is either female genitalia or a terrible person

You aren't following. It may actually mean female genitalia as a crude definition, that is not necessarily what people mean when they say it.
And the dictionary definition is not actually " a terrible person" so you might want to be less strident in calling people stupid for getting it wrong.

you are using a word that means female genitals to indicate someone’s a terrible person

I also use words that mean male genitals to indicate someone is a terrible person. So what?

You don't appear to understand how swearing works.

However if you can justify to yourself usIng the n word or cunt, you Go right ahead. It says more about you than it does about the person you’re using these words about.

I think it says more about you as a person if you don't get that the N word, unlike cunt, was specifically used to degrade and demean a group of people. Not as second class citizens, but as nothing more than sub-humans. I think that putting the two on the same level is actually quite offensive in itself, there is no evidence anywhere that 'cunt' was or is used purely to keep reminding women that they are not worthy of being basic human beings. I find your attitude quite disgusting actually, you're so caught up in your own agenda I don't think you realise you're being rather offensive.

Cunt is not a taboo word in today's society. You may think anyone who uses the word in any meaning is a misogynist, however please at least show the education, intelligence and facts to back up your supposed superiority in both feminist and linguistic matters if you are to resort to such puerile posts. You are more than welcome to your opinions, however I cannot take a poster seriously who can only resort to 'you're a misogynist' when anyone doesn't agree with them.

Sometimes I think feminism needs it's own version of Godwin's law.

However if you can justify to yourself usIng the n word or cunt

I missed that! You can cunt off putting those two words together. That's offensive in a way that saying CUNT could never be.

I think its profoundly anti feminist to tell women which words they can or cannot say tbh.

For gods sake.

Cunt definition.
NOUN

vulgar slang
1A woman's genitals.
1.1 An unpleasant or stupid person.

And there is no “may”. Mean. It does mean.

You can cunt off putting those two words together.

Read the thread. The two most taboo words in the English language according to the oxford English dictionary are these two. This is why they are grouped together, they are both deeply offensive. If you had read the thread you’d have know why they were put together.

And no one has said women shouldn’t say it. What’s being said is it’s deeply anti feminist, mysognistic and hateful when any one says it.

Lol. You just cut and pasted a definition that is not the same as the one you insisted was accurate in your earlier post!
At least be consistent.

What’s being said is it’s deeply anti feminist, mysognistic and hateful when any one says it

In YOUR OPINION. Not in my opinion. Not in many other peoples opinion. Can you show us the paperwork that makes you the arbiter of what is anti feminist and the rest?
No. Then bugger off and realise your opinions are just that, and nobody else really cares what you think about the words we use.

Cunt is not a taboo word in today's society

Then you should write to the editor of the Oxford English Dictionary and tell him you disagree with them. In the meantime, I shall continue to agree with them.

You take more heed to a dictionary, that may very well be behind the times in terms of sociolinguistic, than to the examples given here as to why 'cunt' is not only not considered taboo in certain circles, it's certainly not as bad as the N word for several and very obvious reasons.

If you yourself Bluntness, truly believe they are on par, why do you not spell the N out, but have written cunt in most of your posts?

'In YOUR OPINION. Not in my opinion. Not in many other peoples opinion. Can you show us the paperwork that makes you the arbiter of what is anti feminist and the rest? No. Then bugger off and realise your opinions are just that, and nobody else really cares what you think about the words we use.'

Yes seems this thread will run until we all say yes op you and bluntness are right! we are all very wrong and our opinions mean fuck all .

If you yourself Bluntness, truly believe they are on par, why do you not spell the N out, but have written cunt in most of your posts

It’s a good question, I think the truth is because that horse had already bolted on the thread. However in real life, or even on other threads, I do not use either word. To be fair I think oxford says the n word is arguably worse but it’s subjective, they are the two most taboo in the English language.

they are the two most taboo in the English language.

Is that according to the Oxford dictionary?

I tend to think of the p word as being (far) worse than cunt.

Yes seems this thread will run until we all say yes op you and bluntness are right! we are all very wrong and our opinions mean fuck all

The thread is twelve pages long and I think more people have agreed with the op than disagreed. However yes I and the op may be arguing the point, but that doesn’t invalidate or negate every other poster who has commented. Their opinions count too.

'then you should at least understand its as taboo as the n word in our society'
And that is just bollocks.

Butchy, yes.

Oh well, I disagree with the erudite minds wot compiled the Oxford English dictionary.

'The thread is twelve pages long and I think more people have agreed with the op than disagreed.'
No, many including me agree it is crude swear word. Few agree it is 'anti feminist' as swear words aren't used literally.

'Perhaps if you weren't prepared to hear other views on the matter, posting on the Feminist forum would have been more appropriate than AIBU?'
Yes best place to go if you only want people to agree with you really.

Butchy

"'Perhaps if you weren't prepared to hear other views on the matter, posting on the Feminist forum would have been more appropriate than AIBU?'"

I am delighted to hear other views-I have found them very interesting and thought provoking. You seem to be suggesting that the fact I have not changed my mind means that I have not been prepared to hear other views. Which I have to say is a bit odd.

The thing is OP you very rarely do change your mind. Consequently, you give the impression that you're broadcasting rather than discussing.

' You seem to be suggesting that the fact I have not changed my mind means that I have not been prepared to hear other views. Which I have to say is a bit odd'

Perhaps the poster meant it's your mocking tone, not your opinion that is the problem. For example:

'And if you don't see that there is a difference in our society between calling somebody a dick and calling them a cunt then you are obviously not very aware of social conventions. Or linguistic subtlety. Or even of film classifications!'

Implying that the people who disagree with you are thick. Why don't you welcome other womens thoughts and opinions? Why do you constantly put them down?

I dont agree with all of berts posts

But

'And if you don't see that there is a difference in our society between calling somebody a dick and calling them a cunt then you are obviously not very aware of social conventions. Or linguistic subtlety. Or even of film classifications!'

Isnt calling someone thick

I use cunt, not all the time but i am well aware that its considered by society to be one of the worst swear words

What myrtle said.

Righto. Saying someone isn't aware of societal convention or linguistic subtlety isn't implying they're thick. Got it.

'Consequently, you give the impression that you're broadcasting rather than discussing.'
Exactly.