Why does using the word "bitch" make someone sexist?

[Levgreee]

Although I rarely/never use harsh derogatory terms towards people...

I would not ALWAYS refrain from using the B word against a female who acting in an offensive manner.
I would actually call males the B word at times too.

Now, "B" is a word that is extremely common, used on cable, movies, music, etc. etc. It is even used by some feminists, and some feminist-leaning musicians.

IT IS NOT a parallel to the N-word for blacks... the reason for this, I believe, is MOSTLY the historical significance of the N-word, and also because it is so specific towards a group (which the B-word is not... although there are other more specific female insults).


I feel some people get offended by the word (as people would for bastard, F***er, and so on), and since the offense is directed towards a woman, they generalize that feeling of being offended into sexism. But really, if you called a female a stupid elitist liar bigot, that is much more derogatory insult (imo) but you wouldn't be called sexist for it, because it doesn't include the "key words".



Now, if I call someone the B word at anytime, why do I become sexist? If I am sexist because of it, and someone can tell me why, I will mend my ways and not use it anymore, because I strive to be a person respectful towards different social groups and values.

Why does a gender-specific(or somewhat specific) insults automatically become sexist, while worser insults directed towards that same female are not sexist, even if they are more derogatory or severe?

[Bake]

1. Not specific toward a group?

I guess you don't consider women a "group."

Bake

[Levgreee]

3. totally missed my point... I said "the reason for this, I believe, is mostly the historical signific

significance"


I didn't say there are not gender-specific insults, but being gender-specific alone does not make the insult sexist, IMO. I said the historical significance of the N-word is what makes it completely unacceptable.

[Bake]

11. If it's an insult, and it's gender specific, that makes it sexist.

Sorta like, you know, by definition.

Bake

[Levgreee]

14. I don't believe it does

What is your definition of sexist?

[Bake]

18. If you call a woman a bitch, and she's offended, it's sexist.

You'll know it because your face will sting and turn red. From being slapped. Righteously.

Bake

[Levgreee]

20. So if they are not offended, then it is not sexist?

So sexism is determined subjectively, on the terms of the person receiving the insult?

Hot damn! No one can call me lazy because I can rightfully say they are anti-semitic! Maybe I can get a settlement at work for being the target of bigotry?

[Bake]

32. No, if they are not offended, you're just lucky.

You're being obtuse, you know it and I know it and everyone else here knows it. "Bitch" refers to a female dog, acc. to Webster, and it's an insult. A slur. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that (and obviously you're not one of those).

Or maybe you're just itching to use that term for one of the candidates, and you are defending yourself in advance.

It's sexist. Period.

Bake

[Exilednight]

35. What if I called her a Bastard? n/t

[SwampG8r]

41. isnt the stereotype of angry face slapping women

sexist?

[Bake]

42. I suppose a knee in the nuts would work equally well.

The slap is more socially acceptable and less likely to result in escalating violence, however.

Bake

[newmajority]

2. God damn that sexist misogynist pig Meredith Brooks straight to HELL anyway!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk58p1jeCCA

[Bake]

7. Idiot. She reclaimed it, just like AA's did the N-word.

Bake

[newmajority]

10. And Elton John better damn himself to Hell for HIS misogyny, while we're at it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl6qgB5Neow

[bahrbearian]

23. Great video.

[dbonds]

4. It just does bitch!!!!!

Just kidding. Seriously, I don't see it as sexist (I am female). It is a derogatory word with gender implied. But using it doesn't make one sexist unless they call every woman that. So it may be a term a sexist person could use, but using the word doesn't make one a sexist.

[bahrbearian]

5. I breed Rat Terriers, I love my Bitch's

Grand Champions, Agility Champions and My best Friends. It is a word of Honor, never has there be a word so misconstrued.

[JeffR]

6. Ah, quit yer bitchin'

:hide:

:hi:

[cali]

12. I'm a bitch (at times) and I bitch

got a problem with that, boyo?

:silly:

[JeffR]

19. No ma'am

:blush:

[IsItJustMe]

27. I am a male, so I can be a bastard at times, and yes I can bitch also.

Maybe I am to old school to see myself as a bitch though. I don't know.

[TomInTib]

8. How many frown on "bitch" but use the term "prick"?

A bitch is a bitch.

[Bonobo]

13. Or "scumbag". It is almost never used to describe a woman.

[mcctatas]

16. I use them both...

when appropriate and necessary. (or when I'm really bitching out my husband for being a prick! ;) )

[Erin Elizabeth]

22. Or dick. Or dickhead.

[YDogg]

9. Westminster Kennel Club broadcasters unavailable for comment

[bahrbearian]

26. I'm sure they love bitch's too.

No Good Stud Dog can compete against a Fine Bitch.

[Bake]

33. The plural of "bitch" is "bitches." Not "bitch's."

That is all. Thanks very much.

Bake

[cbayer]

15. Because it is often followed by slap

both literally and figuratively. It is also used in prisons to refer to someone who is being sexually subjugated.

It can be used in a harmless manner, such as "That's a bitchin car", but in general, when directed at a woman, it is a sign of contempt.

[Levgreee]

17. "when directed at a woman, it is a sign of contempt." So you can't have contempt towards a woman?

I have contempt for some woman, as I do for some men also.

Why is that a sexist sign of contempt, instead of just a sign of contempt?

[cbayer]

24. It has been used for about 200 years as a derogotary term for women.

It denotes ownership. It was used to describe female slaves. It also refers to female dogs (see post above). Do a little research on the word. It has quite a history.

Those who it is used against have sometime taken possession of it, just as some of the AA community have taken possession of nigger. It is an attempt to give it less power.

You can try and convince yourself that it is not sexist, but it is. Any language which has the intent of keeping a group down, minimizing them or harming them just because they are members of that group is ____ist.

[Erin Elizabeth]

21. I've called a man a bitch before.

And I've called women assholes.

Is that ok?

:rofl:

[JBoy]

29. Asshole is gender-neutral , so it's my go-to derogatory term.

The Terminator was programmed to say "fuck you, asshole" because it's gender-neutral and therefore non-sexist. For a primitive cyborg, he was surprisingly politically-correct.

[boppers]

31. Machines have no gender.

It wasn't a matter of being politically correct, it was just easier to program one insult than several. :evilgrin:

[stray cat]

25. It doesn't if you are talking about a female dog I guess - a person - absolutely!

[WillyT]

28. Life's A Bitch...

:shrug:

[yewberry]

30. It relies on femaleness for its negative weight.

The term asserts that femaleness itself is negative enough to be a slur. When the word is used, it defines the object as female or as having female characteristics.

When you call someone a stupid elitist liar, you are assigning negatives based on a person; when you call someone a bitch, you are assigning and defining negatives based on gender. And that's misogyny, simple enough.

[dbmk]

34. Can't it be argued

.. that you are assigning and defining negatives - and then use the gender specific word to imply them. Because the recipient is of that gender, but not implying that any of those negatives stem from that fact.

Ive seen Hillary fans describe her as a Goddess - in varying degrees of seriousness granted - but is that not also sexist then?
Or is it only sexist when its meant to imply bad characteristics?

I do see issues with the use of the word - because it has been and is used still, by some men to degrade women with characteristics, that they would never attack a man for having. In general it comes in play much faster than a similar would would do against a man, I will give you that. In general.

But ultimately I don't see many words as being sexist in themselves. I don't agree that it relies on its attribution to the female sex for its negativeness. It relies on the connotations of what KIND of female you envision when using the word.
Just like dickhead does not rely on the maleness of the word for its perception.

The very characteristics the two words are meant to imply might very well be the same, whether in a man or a woman, and therefore not genderspecific. Theres just a genderspecific word to convey it.

[yewberry]

36. I think that argument can be made

but to my mind, it's more generally about femaleness and less about characteristics. A more extreme example is the word cunt--in that case, the negative is based in the sexual organ of femaleness, but the mechanism is very similar. It's the femaleness that is the root of the slur.

In the case of goddess, though, I think there's something different going on. When we use female forms of male-referenced neutrals (goddess v. god, waitress v. waiter, comedienne v. comedian, etc.), the existence of those terms might be inherently sexist, but the use isn't. Because terms for males are the root forms and the terms for female versions of those forms are clearly defined, it just wouldn't be seen as correct to call Clinton a god or a waiter or a prince. The meanings are understood and not particularly flexible.

I really see where you're coming from, though--I just think we disagree. Nothing wrong with that.

[Orsino]

37. The b-word has been used for centuries to dehumanize women.

There's no getting around that emotional baggage, except in rare exceptions. It can be like the crack of a whip, and a woman may hear in it every misogynist man who ever tried to make her feel worthless. There may be no way to use it lightly, depending upon who's listening.

Tina Fey and Meredith Brooks can use it as a rallying cry, to reclaim it. Use it on DU among people who are not very clear about the context, and you risk being labeled sexist--particularly if you show no awareness that it can be so deeply offensive, and try to justify it by comparing it to other hate-speech. (Not aiming this sentence at you; it's just my opinion on how it works.)

[Orangepeel]

38. It is a sexist term. But it is so much a part of pop culture that a nonsexist person might use it

I believe that the term bitch is sexist. But I also believe that people use it without considering what it means and that people can use it without sexist intent.

[rinsd]

40. I think you have hit the nail on the head.

"I believe that the term bitch is sexist. But I also believe that people use it without considering what it means and that people can use it without sexist intent."

[Mezzo]

39. Why does using the n-word make someone racist? nt

:rofl:

[Hugabear]

43. I always thought it referred to someone with a nasty disposition

Much like you might refer to a man as a 'prick' or a 'dick'.