...... 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?

t has it for profoundly misogynistic reasons.

Well no swear words have come about through complimentary measures and I can't help but feel continuing the censorship is, while maybe not misogynistic, is definitely assigning it a special status based on nothing more than it being another word for fanny which I find 'othering'. Almost reminiscent of not offending the delicate lady's ears lest she requires smelling salts. Not worded brilliantly so I hope what I'm trying to say comes across

It's always going to be a swear word but why should one attributed to female genitalia be the worst thing imaginable.

It's perfectly possible to reclaim a word or redefine it. Racist slurs are slightly different for me to argue since they don't apply to me. If you look though you will find people who would have the same argument in that regard.

Paki is almost exclusively a U.K. thing. Other parts of the world would be bemused as it's simply a shortening of Pakistani when there's no social history to consider.

"It's perfectly possible to reclaim a word or redefine it."
Is it? I can't actually think of any!

And it's nothing to do with not offending delicate feminine ears. I'm not offended by the word cunt.

as a society have given it that power-it's no use pretending it hasn't got it.

Yes, but we've also done the same to 'fuck' and no one thinks it's anti-sex. If the case was it was purely derogatory to women, there would be a case here. As it goes, I personally don't believe it's the 'worst word' (and that's debatable) because it's 'bringing women down', it's probably due to a huge variety of reasons, as it always is with language evolution. 'Fuck' and 'cunt' are both very hard words in English, especially putting an accent on it, whilst 'feck' and 'shite' are almost every-day passable, they're soft sounding and comedic. In certain areas of North Wales 'cont' is actually deemed a friendly (though still a 'swear').

I think it's rather like the 'n' word and black people. Fine to use if female. Otherwise no.

This is what I think too. We can reclaim it. Men can't.

It's such an unpleasant word I wouldn't use it in any context

I've never minded it on here. Used by women with women.

I was surprisingly irritated to see Robert Webb call someone a cunt on twitter and not offer up an apology when called out

"It's perfectly possible to reclaim a word or redefine it."
Is it? I can't actually think of any!

A good example is Queer. Used to be an insult. Was embraced and is celebrated by the community it applies to.

I think it's rather like the 'n' word and black people. Fine to use if female. Otherwise no.

Not even in the same league. The N work was specifically used as a derogatory towards black people, to separate them as some sort of subspecies of humanity. There's no denying women have been subjected to awful treatment over the centuries, however we were not called 'cunts' as a way to keep reminding us we were 'below' others.

Wiki on the reclamation of the word queer:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queer#Etymology

I don't think it is anti-feminist to call a man a "cunt". Men get called cunts, women get called dicks. Most women (that I know) don't tend to refer to their vagina as their cunt anyway. Words can have more than one meaning, "cunt" or "gay" or "aerial" or "steer" for example.

I use "cunt" all the time in it's definition as an unpleasant person, but seldom or never to refer to a vagina.

I like the word cunt. It’s a goid old English word. I do by the way use it to refer to my own genitalia although generally in the privacy of my home between me and DP as I know how other people feel about it. I certainly prefer it to many other euphemistic words that can be used.
As for using it as an insult, I think it has less power when it’s used more often as a teasing insult “ah you daft cunt” etc.

It think that you are just looking for things to feel indignant about. When did femenism go from 'women should be allowed to work after marriage if they want to' to 'you can't use that word'?

If that was true wouldn’t pussy be just as offensive?

A good example is Queer. Used to be an insult. Was embraced and is celebrated by the community it applies to.

Most gay people I know still find queer offensive, and actually get annoyed by how so many seem to think its fine to use now.

And most I know (bisexual woman here) don't mind at all anymore.

Horses for courses innit? Like a lot of things.

Well gay is a fair example of redefinition. I don't think I've ever heard it used in the context of being happy.

"Was embraced and is celebrated by the community it applies to."
I'm a straight woman. I would never say queer. And most gay people wouldn't either in my experience.

For other examples ideas.ted.com/20-words-that-once-meant-something-very-different/

The history of hussy is fairly interesting. I think slut is based on a woman's housekeeping skills (lack of) originally.

"Men get called cunts, women get called dicks"

I honestly don't think there is equivalence between cunt and dick. The BBFC certainly doesn't think there is, for one.

Yes, words change meaning. Are you saying that the meaning of cunt has changed from women's genitals to very unpleasant person and the two meanings have no connection?

If that was true wouldn’t pussy be just as offensive?

..or twat.... but that's kind of my point. There is literally no good reason for cunt to be the worst word in the English language. They all mean the same thing.

Personally I really dislike bastard because of its meaning and would be perfectly happy for cunt to replace it in modern usage.

"There is literally no good reason for cunt to be the worst word in the English language"

No, I agree. But as a society we have decided that it is. And I think the reason is misogyny.

Pussy is offensive! I don't know anyone that commonly used that word.

Pussy and twat are both more offensive than, say, dick or cock......

Yes, words change meaning. Are you saying that the meaning of cunt has changed from women's genitals to very unpleasant person and the two meanings have no connection

Ummmm I'm confused now but I suppose so yes.

Using my example of bastard, it's true meaning has no relevance in our society today but it's retained it's insulting status. Most of us know what the definition is and the implications behind it but that's not the context it's used in. It's quite frankly 'just' a bad word.