to think that the term "Bastard Children" is not and never will an acceptable way to talk

[ALMazing]

about a child born out of wedlock.

Just wondering as another poster on Mumsnet seems to think that it is.

And I don t give a fark if I am telling tales. As a "bastard child" of the seventies it hit me hard that someone would still use that term especially on Mumsnet.

I'm the mother of two bastards (different fathers too, shock horror) and have no objection to the word used in context, as notjustmom seems to have used it, to mean 'child born to unmarried parents'. Isn't the real problem here that the word is rarely used with its original meaning, but is often used as a term of abuse, even though the social attitudes which made it an insult in the first place have now changed? Perhaps its time for bastards and their parents everywhere (there are enough of us) to reclaim it.

How about 'lovechild'?

I gathered it wasn't, njm - that's what I was trying to say - words with two meanings etc..

Thefallenmadonna -as opposed to "Oh-go-on -then-if-you-must-child" ?

Good post didoreth.

Having read the thread post in question... seems perfectly in context to me.

lol i find it more offensive when my dc are referred to by others as unwanted- not unwanted just unplanned! i argue back

lol @ cutardo's post

link to etymological dictionary - seems to have been around a long time before was adopted as term of abuse.

So I contributed a post on Mumsnet and used the Shakespearean term "bastard child" in context because I was referring to Shakespeare in the post, that would be wrong would it?

I think if you are going to slag off someone's post you need to quote their post in it's entireity, and that particular post was being quoted within a Bibical context in which they did refer to "bastard children".

Just out of interest, if you did have to read Shakespeare, would you replace many of the terms there for more pc ones?

I am a bastard, sometimes a cheeky bastard and sometimes just a lucky bastard.

I was a clever bastard and searched the term 'bastard child' before the link was even posted.

Most threads like this are triggered by other threads and you will find that lots of us will do a quick search.

I did notice on the BB thread that someone else actually stated that they didn't want it discussed there so I understand the new thread.

I agree, whether offence was meant or not, whether in context/or not it is a nasty and objectionable word now/today/at this moment. Especially to those of us who (quite proudly, I might add so ner ner) have kids born "out of wedlock."

...Just like some other words that are now deemed nasty and objectionable so are not used in polite conversation, whether in context or not etc etc. Like some of the racist terms, for example.

So I think the op is not being unreasonable!

"Perhaps its time for bastards and their parents everywhere (there are enough of us) to reclaim it"

Nice theory and one that the rap world tried with the word "n*gger" unfortunately it still didnt work because it can still be perceived as an insult.

well, it did take me some time to traw through...

No, I wasn't reading the press release link!!...

Gosh I really hate these threads.
IF you feel something deserves a new thread, which the use of the word bastard as a description of a child may well warrant then at least have the decency to start the new thread and link it where the original post was made, especially if you want to talk about rights and wrongs.

IMO what NJM said was perfectly justified, she was talking about religion, which would use words such as 'bastard children' it was not meant to be an insult.

Personally I think "Just wondering as another poster on Mumsnet seems to think that it is." is low without giving 'another poster on mumsnet' a chance to put her point across.

LOL - I have also just had to re-check my mumsnet name as people keep responding to me as "Willy" this is about the 4th or 5th time.

What was that Willy?

and then post in AIBU to get the most answers