Lighthearted (if possible on here?)

[Nogodsnomasters]

Why are you all so annoyed about the word hysterical being used to describe a woman? Even if she IS being hysterical!!? It's a perfectly good word.

People explaining things =/= annoyed.

@proudthrilled thank you for a detailed answer, I understand now the historical meaning. Its no longer the meaning or at least intended meaning nowadays though so I still fail to understand why anyone could become so annoyed/offended by it these days.

The ancients believed hysteria was caused by the uterus wandering around inside the body. It was impossible for a man to be hysterical, obviously. It's a word with its very roots in misogyny and many find it offensive.

As for your sarky response to PP, my take is nogodsnomasters and no manners either.

Because some men still use it in that way, hysterical woman is a phrase, hysterical man isn't. Didn't an mp get into the dodahs for using that phrase?

Used to describe a woman, the word is sexist, as PP explained.

Used to describe a humorous episode, a totally different kettle of fish.

I would prefer it if women weren't described as hysterical in their responses, it reinforces stereotypes.

@upstart no on this other thread they were not "explaining" things, one reply was literally just "you know your going to get roasted for using that word?". That's not an explanation to anything. You asked for an example so that's where I was basing this from.

Duh! Because it is still used by misogynistic men to dismiss women's valid reactions as unreasonable.

The use to describe comedy is not an issue.

NoGods, how often do you hear a man being accused of being hysterical? A comedian may be hysterically funny, and people may laugh hysterically, but only angry women are described as being hysterical. It is a misogynist word, used to silence women.

Generally, if you have it explained that some people do find a word offensive, sometimes because of historical reasons, if you're a sensible grownup human being you knock of using it around them. And if you're not a GF you probably refrain from starting a 'lighthearted' thread about it.

''In Western medicine hysteria was considered both common and chronic among women. The American Psychiatric Association dropped the term hysteria in 1952. Even though it was categorized as a disease, hysteria's symptoms were synonymous with normal functioning female sexuality.

Women considered to have it exhibited a wide array of symptoms, including faintness, nervousness, sexual desire, insomnia, fluid retention, heaviness in the abdomen, shortness of breath, irritability, loss of appetite for food or sex, and a "tendency to cause trouble".[1]

In extreme cases, the woman may have been forced to enter an insane asylum or to have undergone surgical hysterectomy.''

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_hysteria

You ignored the historical meaning as having no relevance in your third post, then accepted it as a reason when given by a different poster.

It suggests a woman is upset because of an imbalance in her uterus, rather than for genuine and reasonable causes

Words evolve. Dictionaries don't give that as the primary meaning.

Here is a man using it to describe himself.
DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) - After Chuck Mangum found racial slurs written on his car Friday morning, he took his frustrations to social media and law enforcement

He says the incident is linked to a much bigger problem in his community.

As he walked around his 1999 Oldsmobile Aurora Friday morning, he says, "I noticed the racial slurs on my car, and I just went hysterical."

Here is a woman using it to describe herself.

Mikal and her 10-year-old son went in the vehicle and her 14-year-old son followed with the quad. The fire jumped so fast that her 14-year-old got separated

“I was hysterical because I didn’t know where he was,” Mikal said.

Journalist referring to Trump.
Team Trump's defenses of the president regarding the Russian hacking scandal seem to be getting increasingly hysterical. Hysterical? Is that too strong a term?

MY sarky responses? I've responded genuinely to anyone who has replied genuinely to me, and I've responded brashly to anyone who has been rude/sarky in their responses. I live by treat others how you wish to be treated thank you very much!

My great grandmother was institutionalized at the age of 37 (I think) and died in the institution. Looking at her records, she probably suffered from PND (having had seven or eight children in as many years).

One of the words used in her admittance documentation was "hysteria"

I don't find it lighthearted.

As an aside, thanks to the Germaine Greer thread on here I saw a wonderful conversation where she explained about how PMT was used to explain irrational behaviour from women.

She was pointing out something about women being angry for three days a month, and being judged for it, whereas men are angry for 30 days a month and that's all ok because they are men, obviously and everyone just accepts them being angry all the time.

In a society where there is no understanding about how shit it is for women to live with the consequences of often debilitating hormonal shifts, it's not "lighthearted" to see the word "hysterical" used to mean "uppity women minding too much about things"

If you want to go round accusing women or anyone else of being crazy or mentally ill by calling them hysterical you go right ahead.
I like it when people show the world exactly who they are. I take the advice of Maya Angelou and believe them, the first time.

Its no longer the meaning or at least intended meaning nowadays though so I still fail to understand why anyone could become so annoyed/offended by it these days.

Yes it is. Its used all the time to put silly women in their place.

I think you're confused by the fact that is can also be used to mean very funny? That is a different meaning.

Someone pointed out upthread you never a man being described as "hysterical". That's the point - its used to undermine women by saying their response is just because of their silly lady hormones and with no basis.

I've responded genuinely to anyone who has replied genuinely to me, and I've responded brashly to anyone who has been rude/sarky in their responses. I live by treat others how you wish to be treated thank you very much!

That is incorrect.
Not really surprised you don't know what it means to treat others as you wish to be treated rather than as they treat you.

@Arrghhh yes but the current meaning of the word hysterical (other than the funny version which is the one I'd use it for most frequently but not exclusively) is "being unable to control your emotions, becoming overwhelmingly frightened, grieved, shocked" etc so with that intention, if anyone male or female fits that description then that word is not offensive surely?! If a man or woman were lying in the road screaming uncontrollably they would be hysterical and it would not be offensive to refer to that person as such surely? What I mean is used the right context its not an offensive word. Of course using it to describe someone who is actually NOT hysterical at that moment in time would be disrespectful, just as with any number of things such as dismissing a health fear by calling someone a hypochondriac is offensive but the word hypochondriac is not offensive in and of itself when used correctly so therefore the word shouldn't be shot out of the water at every turn even when being used in the correct manner.

@thebewilderness great at jumping to massive conclusions aren't you? At which point did I say I was going to use this word to refer to mentally ill people? People on here have a severe habit of creating things in their own minds.

humpty.jpg

@thebewilderness re your humpty post, obviously the answer is feminists and in their droves. Goodnight.

In WW1 many soldiers presented with the same symptoms as ' hysteria'. But as hysteria is by definition a female- only complaint, they had to come up with a new name. They called it Shell Shock.

These days a variety of MH conditions may 'fit', but I think that PTSD most closely resembles shell shock. Which then makes me reflect on the experiences that so many women endured in order to display symptoms of 'hysteria'.

The Female Malady by Elaine Showalter described this. It's quite old now, but a great book.

Is it worth responding to this kind of thread. What is the point.

You are right. It's not possible to be lighthearted on here. We are humourless 'ladies'

Ladies? We are the Feminazgûl!