To think pussy is a rude word?

[MarkRuffaloCrumble]

If someone said that another person was being “a bit of a pussy” AIBU to think it’s rude, or would you take it as meaning “meek like a pussy cat”?

YABU it means cat
YANBU its rude/it means vagina

In that context it doesn't mean vagina
It means being a bit pathetic and not brave

difficult to say really

It depends. As a cat owner, if my gran or DH asked ... Do you mind if I stroke your pussy? ... In both cases I'd say yes, but it would mean very different things.

So it depends on context

I've only heard it used in this context to describe men who are being wimps.

And I'd assumed it was the same as calling someone a 'fanny' - only a bit more Americanised.

I'm going for vagina.

Pussy is also heavily used in a demeaning manner for boys and men to characterise them as weak, feeble or cowardly.It conveys the idea that the man in question is not masculine or daring enough in a given circumstance or due to his overall personality. (“He couldn’t do it, what a pussy!")

Contrary to popular belief, this has nothing to do with women, their vaginas or comparisons to 'female weakness' . The term comes from a completely different source - the Latin word 'pusillanimous'. Over time, lines have been blurred, leading to confused and overlapping notions of the two.

I thought it means vagina.

It means being a wimp and, afaik, predates the association with female genitalia. It's a bit like calling someone a scardey cat

It's definitely not a compliment but not vulgar.

Pussy has several different meanings as I've just demonstrated. It's not just about women's genitals

The term comes from a completely different source - the Latin word 'pusillanimous'. Over time, lines have been blurred, leading to confused and overlapping notions of the two

Yes I’ve read that. And that is the way DP insists it is used.

Although I don’t find it offensive in the same way as the C word, I still don’t automatically think “kitty cat” when I hear it!

Well Agatha Christie didn't think it was rude! Plenty of references to old pussies in her books!

@HelloILoveYou

It depends. As a cat owner, if my gran or DH asked ... Do you mind if I stroke your pussy? ... In both cases I'd say yes, but it would mean very different things.

So it depends on context

I really hope you’re right here and don’t get any nasty surprises!

On a related note, I have heard “they got fannied” (meaning they lost at something). Am I imagining it or does that have sexual connotations?

What's rude about cute little floofy kitties??

It depends on the context as to whether it’s rude or not.

@HelloILoveYou

It depends. As a cat owner, if my gran or DH asked ... Do you mind if I stroke your pussy? ... In both cases I'd say yes, but it would mean very different things.

So it depends on context

indeed!

I guess if you never use it in the non-feline way it might be more easily associated with cats, but it always makes me think of Mrs Slocombe in Are You Being Served (showing my age!) and everyone getting the giggles when she talked about her pussy.

Given that this was 40-50 years ago I feel like the association with cats has reduced and the association with vaginas has increased so I thought it would be interesting to ask here.

@LookingThroughTheTrees

It depends on the context as to whether it’s rude or not.

I agree and the context I’m talking about here is calling someone a pussy because they are weak or “whipped” rather than talking to my pet cat.

I think in practice, whatever it’s origins, people use it to mean vagina as a signal of ‘weak feminine’ behaviour, similar to ‘big girls blouse’. But given I use expressions like dickhead and bellend I don’t find it massively offensive tho wouldn’t use it personally.

Using it in the context of calling someone a pussy is not very nice but is not related to a vagina

I think it's horrible. I looked it up and it seems that at one time it was a name (like sweetheart) for a girl/woman and then it became an insult for a 'domesticated' man to suggest they were too feminine. It said it was also an insult for someone who was gay or effeminate as well.

@partyatthepalace

I think in practice, whatever it’s origins, people use it to mean vagina as a signal of ‘weak feminine’ behaviour, similar to ‘big girls blouse’. But given I use expressions like dickhead and bellend I don’t find it massively offensive tho wouldn’t use it personally.

Indeed - I use bellend a lot and I use dick a lot. I don’t object to the use of female genitals per se, the question is more, is the word used meaning “stop being weak like a little kitty”/pusillanimous or does it mean “stop being such a vagina”

I looked it up and it seems that at one time it was a name (like sweetheart) for a girl/woman and then it became an insult for a 'domesticated' man to suggest they were too feminine.

Ahh is that why we use it for domesticated cats? Like the cat isn’t a hunting machine, it’s whipped and has become a lap cat?

Definitely context is everything,and some words have different degrees of rudeness depending where you live,an old manager of mine said she got into trouble when she first moved to manchester from the Midlands for calling everyone a twat ,because to her twat was no less offensive than twit,depending on where abouts in the northwest ,people live Bonny can have two very different meanings ,for me it means a pretty young girl/ lady a few miles up the road it can mean someone who struggles with their weight 🤷

@DrDreReturns

Well Agatha Christie didn't think it was rude! Plenty of references to old pussies in her books!

Didn't Mrs Slocombe have a pussy?

I have a pussy willow in my garden, my youngest thought I had bought a kitten, my husband asked if the flowers resemble female genitals.

Bonny can have two very different meanings ,for me it means a pretty young girl/ lady a few miles up the road it can mean someone who struggles with their weight

That could be awkward! When you tell someone they’re looking Bonny and get punched in the face for it

@CombatBarbie

I have a pussy willow in my garden, my youngest thought I had bought a kitten, my husband asked if the flowers resemble female genitals.

Aww well maybe I’ll give DP the benefit that he’s innocent and childlike and using it to mean kitten then