It's a word that is definitely not to everyone's taste, and some find it highly offensive, my mother, for instance. Mostly 'cunt' is used as an insult, like 'prick', 'twat', 'dick' or 'arsehole'. In this context, words like this have ceased to be about genitals and body parts, they have taken on another meaning and have a specific functi…
It's a word that is definitely not to everyone's taste, and some find it highly offensive, my mother, for instance. Mostly 'cunt' is used as an insult, like 'prick', 'twat', 'dick' or 'arsehole'. In this context, words like this have ceased to be about genitals and body parts, they have taken on another meaning and have a specific function. You might never have heard someone referred to as a cunt in a jokey, friendly way, but I assure you it does happen.
They are still about genitals to me and, I think, to most people -- and this is what makes them offensive!
Yes it might happen that some people no longer think about the words they use. But I'm not one of them.
And I was interested to see in the "Abuse" section of the Wikipedia entry for "cunt", that my understandings (for over 50 years) of its basically misogynist use are allied with second wave feminism / feminists, and that usage persists. So I see no reason to change my mind now.
There is no reason for you to change your mind, you've taken a position and you're staying with it. I don't think it's the case that people have stopped thinking about language, but language evolves and the way we use it changes. I don't think the world began when I became socially conscious, so particular words have specific associations and meanings for some that don't change.
Essentially, I don't regard cunt any more misogynist than I do prick misandryst. Context is everything here. But that's my opinion, and you've got yours. They don't concur, but so what? I'm sure that on other issues they do, and perhaps it's more important to focus on that.
It's a word that is definitely not to everyone's taste, and some find it highly offensive, my mother, for instance. Mostly 'cunt' is used as an insult, like 'prick', 'twat', 'dick' or 'arsehole'. In this context, words like this have ceased to be about genitals and body parts, they have taken on another meaning and have a specific function. You might never have heard someone referred to as a cunt in a jokey, friendly way, but I assure you it does happen.
They are still about genitals to me and, I think, to most people -- and this is what makes them offensive!
Yes it might happen that some people no longer think about the words they use. But I'm not one of them.
And I was interested to see in the "Abuse" section of the Wikipedia entry for "cunt", that my understandings (for over 50 years) of its basically misogynist use are allied with second wave feminism / feminists, and that usage persists. So I see no reason to change my mind now.
There is no reason for you to change your mind, you've taken a position and you're staying with it. I don't think it's the case that people have stopped thinking about language, but language evolves and the way we use it changes. I don't think the world began when I became socially conscious, so particular words have specific associations and meanings for some that don't change.
Essentially, I don't regard cunt any more misogynist than I do prick misandryst. Context is everything here. But that's my opinion, and you've got yours. They don't concur, but so what? I'm sure that on other issues they do, and perhaps it's more important to focus on that.