cunt and twat

[bejeezusWC]

what do you feel about them as swear words?

I used to hate them, because they are considered the strongest insult i.e. being female genetalia is the worst thing you could be

whilst being a dick or a knob, is much milder, suggesting male genetalia is much 'nicer'

but, cunt and twat are used ALOT on MN. And it feels OK.
Have the words been reclaimed?

I used to hate cunt (twat never felt that bad to me tbh). I thought it the far end of the spectrum that calling someone a girl was on.

I love it now. I love how much it shocks in RL and, because it's used so rarely, how it leaves people in no doubt bout your feelings.

I don't have any feminist thoughts on it but, yep, I love it, I'm reclaiming it.

Up with cunts!

I detested 'cunt' being used as an insult. It was used almost entirely by men when I was younger and I did resent it, as well as finding its use perplexing - they were fond enough of cunts, after all.

Now its shock value has been diluted through frequent use - same as 'fuck' was before it. And its connection with the female organ is perceived as more distant.

I remember in the early eighties there was a feminist theatre collective called 'Cunning Stunts' (think they got the name from Nabokov, of all people) showing there was an active bid to reclaim the word thirty years ago. And I suppose the very fact that women on mn seem to use it without compunction show it has been reclaimed in a way - though it is still used as an insult, isn't it?

Interesting that 'cunt' has implications of nastiness, or badness, whilst 'twat', whilst referring to the same bodily part, leans more towards stupidity - like 'knob' or 'dick'.

i dont tend to associate it with my genitalia i just think of those words as really strong swear words that a person might use when they are really upset or pissed right off with someone, they dont offend me at all when used in the right circumstances and by an adult.

I'm not sure I would ever call someone a 'cunt' except maybe for comedic value, it doesn't sit comfortably with my, I have no qualms about saying 'cunting hell' though or 'cunty bollocks'

'Twat' has never bothered me, thinking about it it is the only swear word that dp and I would use at each other. If he calls me a twat it is just amusing but if he (and he never would) called me a 'bitch' or 'cunt' I would be horrified.

I love the word cunt. It's such a satisfying word to say. And if I am going to insult someone then I might as well go big. :o

As for the male genitalia being 'nicer', um, no. Cocks are ridiculous looking things. :o

I hate the word "cunt" being used as an insult. Usual retort when someone's using it about someone I know is "Nah, they lack the depth and warmth for that".

I prefer arsewipe. Much less gender neutral.

I LOVE that comeback stars

oooo...I need to act up so some one calls me a cunt, and I can use it

There are better words

I've never thought of twat as having a meaning, it's just rude.

Cunt I hate! I don't want that part of my body being used as the rudest word generally used.

Fuck is a brilliant word nice and gender inclusive (and since fucking is fun, it can't be all bad)

twat doesnt bother me - I use it most days Cunt - I find a little bit rude - that's not to say I wouldnt use it - but I reserve it for dramatic situations where twat isn't insulting enough!

I loathe the use of "cunt" as an insult. I have too many memories of the vicious way it was used against women in the past.

And i do think that younger women sometimes get a bit over excited about using it.

But I am a dinosaur.

Those words don't bother me in the slightest, never have. I think they have a male equivalent 'dick' 'knob' cock' regardless of how much of an insult some may deem them to be.
The swear word that I personally cannot bear is 'bitch' as I have always found that it's a word directed only towards women and it's often used to negatively describe qualities in women that are admired in men.

yes bitch AND slag

It's wrong that I just read this thread and giggle every time I read a swear word

poo wee bum bottom fart cunt twat dick knob arse

that was just gratuitous for all the other puerile posters

Twat and twatty I use a lot, cunt I am more restrained with as I still see it as a really rude word.

I used to be really down on my fellow men for using "cunt" and then more of my female friends started using it. However I think like many things, context is everything...... I have problems with bitch for precisely the way that cowboysgal and bejeezusWC do.

However are we more relaxed about language? I mean I wouldn't ever use the "N" word under any circumstance, I doubt many here would.

I hate both of those words. Then again I can't stand any bad language DP and I never swear it just seems pointless. xx

Ah now bitch, slag, slapper, and slut bother me much more it seems so derogatory towards women !!

I love all swear words. I probably say, 'what a twat' a lot but I also use male genitalia words all the time too.

Cunt is another favourite, although I can't think I use it vey often. I just like saying it for the cat's mouth response it gets. Our admin staff at work are a bunch of middle aged women that will say, 'ooh I hate the c word', so I say it to annoy them.

Same here Susie, I detest those words that objectify in a negative manner. There isn't a male eqivalent either, which is a bit shit.

"Vagina" is often misused to avoid saying "vulva", but what does "cunt" mean, anatomically? It seems to be either, depending on context.

So we have to go to Latin for precision that's missing from Anglo-Saxon.

I thought they were both latin in origin.

I always thought it came from Norse and came over with the Vikings. A quick Google shows it could have done, but the Latin word cunnus meaning vulva is another possibility, ans is cuneus, meaning wedge, from which we get cuneiform (wedge shaped). So yet another attempt to educate myself leaves me even more baffled. :o

I don't like the c-word because it sounds ugly and harsh. Almost like people spit it out. People who use it don't come across well I think, and I find it hard to respect people who use swear words in public. I mean, the world can be ugly enough without adding to it and so when people do, I just think it sounds a bit nasty.