Subscribe
Previous Post
I say “cunt” a lot. It’s a great word. It’s a great word to gauge where strangers stand on important topics, like where they stand on saying cunt, for example. If you’re in mixed company or don’t really know a lot of people, I recommend saying “cunt” and paying close attention to peoples’ reactions.
Granted, if you’re like me and you only consort with scumbags, there isn’t a lot of risk here, but the way I see it, if people are really, really, really offended by me saying “cunt” they probably suck and I shouldn’t give a fuck about impressing them anyway.
Say you’re at a cocktail party and people are being really fancy, you should mosey up to a group of strangers who are talking and be like, “Look at that guy over there swilling his martini, pretending he’s Abe Fucking Vigoda. What a cunt.” I think that’s a solid introduction, but the response more often than not really surprises me. It’s never the mild shock or discomfort followed by social alienation that I expect.
I find that when I say “cunt” in mixed company or a group comprised of men, I see… relief. Like, they all nod at me approvingly as if to say, “Phew. This one’s cool.” It’s like they’re a sweet gang of drug smugglers or something and by saying “cunt” I’ve demonstrated I’m not a narc.
Which is kind of a problem, right? Meaning, when I say “cunt” around dudes who don’t really know me, I find they’re never shocked, but kind of feel like they can let their hair down around me or something.
Does that mean that all guys just secretly want to say cunt as much as I do?
Yes.
Yes it does. But if men want to say cunt, they need to learn how to use it properly.
Let’s step back a bit: why would people want to say cunt? …It’s awesome. It’s satisfying. Sometimes it’s the only world that will do. It’s hits the spot. It has such a vicious, abrasive sound and an equally vicious and abrasive association. So what’s the problem with dudes saying cunt?
The problem, my friends, is context. And that is the rub with every loaded word. All of them. For example: let’s say you are a girl at a bar and you are approached by a slimy, skeezy Wall Street d-bag who aggressively invites you over to his table to “chill” with his bros and drink shitty overpriced vodka. Let’s say you politely decline. Let’s say he calls you a cunt. Is the use of cunt awesome there? No, it is not awesome. But honestly, this Wall Street d-bag has a lot more problems than his poor usage of the C-Word.
That’s why women don’t like it when men say cunt, because just about every woman I know has been called a cunt and made to feel small and stupid and worthless because of it. And this fucking sucks and while we’re at it, fuck gross dudes who call women cunts to make them feel shitty about themselves. Fuck anyone who says any of the following words just to make people feel bad: Faggot. Nigger. Kike. Bitch. Spic. People who use those words to make others feel shitty are the worst kinds of assholes.
But you can’t put a permanent moratorium on any of those words. There are times when any and all of them can be appropriate, important and even funny. There are two reasons for this.
1. When you treat words like hallowed institutions and say no one is ever allowed to say them and any instance of their use is horrible and all people who say them should be vilified, you might actually be contributing to the weight those words have. By placing them completely off limits, you’re kind of preserving their impact.
2. One of the best ways to showcase (and ridicule) the unbelievable stupidity and awfulness of things like racism and homophobia is to satirize the bigoted thought process. Sarah Silverman, to use an obvious example, uses a lot of loaded epithets in her stand-up, but context (along with her blank dead-pan) indicate these are jokes about racism, not jokes about blacks or gays or Jews.
So can men say cunt?
Yes.
Should men say cunt to make women feel terrible?
Never.
No single word should be unspeakable at all times. No single word can be off limits to certain people but fair game to others. Also, and this is important, anyone who’s ever been bullied or beaten up or isolated for their skin color/gender/orientation has the right to be uncomfortable with those words, which is why it is incumbent on people to be fucking smart and sensitive about using them. In other words: calling a woman a cunt or a slut or a whore or a bitch to make her feel worthless is always horrible and fuck anyone who resorts to that. But, calling your friend’s parakeet a cunt because you don’t like the way he stands on his little bird swing is hilarious.
But I digress. Saying cunt is awesome.
WOW you are so (not) cool!!!!!!!
Well I use cunt and prick, amongst other words. Cunt actually comes from the German and is rendered as kunta in Old Norse. Back then it was a common term. To be honest back then it wasn’t offensive. Personally though I’ve never called a woman a cunt, although I have used it to describe men I didn’t like, as well as more generic uses like, a cunt of a day, it was a cunt’s act for an action that was despicable. But sometimes it’s just an expletive like when you stub your toe, you say cunt or fuck. I think the media ban on the word is hilarious because it’s still in common usage now. I find it silly to read c*** What does that mean?
For all the humour in the article, you’ve raised a valid point, there are times when it should be used and times when it shouldn’t be used.
Another great article.
I know this might not be the right place for this, but it’s the closest I can find. Maybe someone can explain.
I was defending a friend that was called the c-word behind her back. Later that night I got lectured by the man that supposedly cares for me about the word. He said he doesn’t understand why I got upset since it has no meaning to him. He has used the word on regular bases, using it for women he hates. He supposedly stopped using the word when we started dating. I asked him, “Why do men use the word, why do they have the need to belittle women.” He did not answer; instead he asked “why don’t you get upset when you’re called a bitch?” I replied “I am a bitch, but I’m not a cunt.” I then asked if someone called me a cunt in front of him and I wasn’t there to defend myself, would he defend me. He then replied, “Yes, maybe, I don’t know.” If this is the case, am I just a cunt to him? It was like he didn’t care that I started to cry. I feel that I am a strong woman. I’m not a feminist, I see my self as a chauvinistic pig. I’m open minded, free thinking, intelligent (horrible with grammar and spelling though, please forgive) and independent. Men and women are just pieces of meat, here just for my amusement. But, I know that’s all a façade. It’s just the protective covering, not letting my true self show. This word kills me inside. There is no way for me to show him how I feel, not that he wants to try to understand. I’ve tried to ignore it, but I can’t anymore. What have I done do any man? Why have I deserved to be called a cunt? Can anyone please tell me?
also, i don’t really know what’s offensive about this: it seems like the point is just using slurs to make people feel shitty is awful but using those same words for comedic value doesn’t have to be
YESSSSSSSSSSSS
this article is BANG ON. Elizabeth Richard, you’re a babe.
jeez what is wrong with you people? this is a hilarious post with good justification as well. Finally someone has explained to me why I find it so frickin satisfying when I call someone a cunt. And, bang on about men being able to use it and why – and why NO words should be banned – and, since we’re here, bang on also about it basically tying back to the basic evil of a word (ANY word) to make someone feel bad.
Yesssss
I was just browsing through some total crap on the net and finally I find something really worth reading.
Thanks Elizabeth Richard, you’re a babe.
C*nt is the one word I will not tolerate in any situation. Regardless of it’s actual meaning or as an insult. I find it just as offensive as racial and other sexist slurs.
OMFSM, why can’t I share this? It’s awesome! Damnit!
I disagree. I think c*nt is probably the ugliest swear word. I have no problem with saying the fuck, shit, hell, or damn. They’re actually really funny when used the right way.
this article isn’t about swear words. Cunt is in a totally different league than fuck, shit, damn, and (really?) hell. she’s comparing it to racial slurs.
Just for the record, you have basically paraphrased ( or practically ripped off ) the exact thing that Joe Rogan had to say in his stand up comedy/commentary routine. He was more directed toward the fact that this is one of the few still truly “taboo” words left in our language. He even talked about how a good swear/put down word has to be short, and harsh sounding. In addition he classified it as one of those words only certain people can get away with saying: in this case women, like only certain people can say the “n” word, in that case blacks.
So, not sure if you ripped him off, or just had the same great opinion, but anyway, agreed!!
Versions of this argument have been going around ever since rappers took back the N word, so I would hesitate before giving Joe Rogan too much credit.
See also Louis C.K.’s defense of “Faggot.”
I dislike the use of genitalia (or sexual acts) to insult a person; dick, cocksucker, cunt, pussy, phrases like suck my dick/balls, etc., on general principle. Not because these words/acts or taboo but because they aren’t and using sex/sex acts to insult someone somehow makes the act/body part dirty/offensive when it really shouldn’t be. Not quite sure if I’m making sense here, but basically, if you call someone a cocksucker as an insult, what does it mean when you go down on your boyfriend later? Call someone a pussy but you have one? And so on…
Do you by chance read http://www.dearcoketalk.com? I feel like you would appreciate this given your passion for the subject of the above article.
While cunt is a very curt word, and therefore easily spat forth with venemous aim (dick, bitch, fat – all are great examples of quick words that prick deeply when spoken harshly), taking back a word doesn’t mean using it the same way it has been missused. I prefer to use the word while keeping it’s actual definition intact – for example, “I love the way you touch my cunt.” Once you apply it to a person it has to take on the very narrow characteristics that make that person. A cunt, slit, hatchetwound, snatch, and pussy vary greatly from woman to woman, but specifically talking about one thing – the genitals of a female (a good thing).
If youre going to write an article about the c word please do it well.
People flashing in public flashing in public is never pretty).
Please tell me you did not just insult her writing then write “people flashing in public flashing in public is never pretty).” because that makes absolutely no sense… And it’s spelled you’re, not youre… youre isn’t a word.
Women calling other women “fotze”, german for cunt, really grosses me out most of the time.
I disagree. Sort of. Not with your reasoning, but with your choice of word. See, “cunt” will always mean “woman,” because, well, as we all know the cunt is part of the female anatomy. It’s a gendered insult. Calling someone a cunt in a derogative way is sexist (like calling someone a dick, a pussy, or, by extension, a cocksucker), and it offends me because I don’t think it’s appropriate to insult someone by calling him or her a woman.
Yeah, I’ve got to say I’m on a pretty similar page to Eileen with this one. I don’t like it when cunt or pussy is used as an insult (cocksucker as an insult bothers me too, though I was wondering if I was the only one). I will admit that while I don’t think dick should be used as an insult, either, it doesn’t bother me in the same visceral way when I think about it.
That said, somebody calling me a cunt? I think I might find that hilarious, rather than belittling. Even if I know that it’s meant as an insult, because frankly, how upset could you get by someone yelling at you “Hey, you! Yeah, you! Your mom’s a VERY CLASSY LADY!” In either case, clearly it’s the other person who has issues, not you.