Language

[JimFrench]

If a man is brave he could be described as "ballsy" or to do a courageous thing might be described as "putting your balls on the line" (a phrase I hate). Is there a female equivalent?

I prefer to use gender neutral language - so in these examples I might say "gutsy" or "putting their neck on the line" for example, irrespective of the sex of the person I was describing.

I absolutely detest the phrase "woman up"!

Meant to add, I don't know about female equivalents, but I think the feminist equivalent would be gender neutral.

This makes a nice point, and makes me chuckle.

It just wouldn't sound right to say virginery or cuntery. Exactly, she says to herself.

I do like this quote, heteronormative as it is. Although I'd still find it hard to 'ovary up'.

OP did you join up or name change just to post this question?

I have a radical suggestion. Why not just use the words brave, courageous confident etc.

No need to refer to genitalia, no need to be gender specific.

And as for 'woman up/ man up' - how about don't be so immature

Like Fajones instead of Cojones?

and what like Balls of Steel becomes Iron curtain it just gets silly , when there are perfectly good metaphors out there as shown above, "neck on line" etc.

I have a soft spot for 'strap on your ovaries of steel'.

But yeah - gutsy, putting your neck on the line, being brave, taking a risk etc etc all work.

One I've seen for both is 'put your big girl/boy pants on' for if you really feel that a genital reference is needed.

'grown up pants' works there too

I really like 'great balls of fire' and I am a woman too.

Great balls of fire isn't really a be brave reference though. More of a "goodness gracious" equivalent, but more fiery.

Plus it doesn't just mean testicles, it means fireballs.

What about 'she's got tits'? or 'time to tit up'?

Err, no.

Some people think what a woman looks like is public property.