The C Word
Let’s talk more about the C-word. Even before I read Poptart’s comments, I was thinking along the same lines. Cunt isn’t a “nice” word, but it’s a useful word. I think it should have a slogan along the lines, “When bitch or whore won’t work, call in cunt.”
Now I’m just being gross, but that seems to be what people go for. Cunt has been, at this point, reduced to an insult. Though I do see it used in the occasional piece of fanfiction, almost always as a last resort word to encourage some female character not to say “vagina” during sex play.* Some sexually experienced man will be iniating a woman into the joys of lovemaking and she’ll go and ask a question ending with “…my vagina.” And he’ll** tell her, “Oh, don’t say that.” Because it sounds too scientific, or biological, or just plain not sexy. And she’ll ask for suggestions and he’ll go through a rousing list of nicknames for vagina that almost always ends, “…even cunt.” And then they get back at it.
Like Poptart said:
I like using the word cunt. It definitely has its place. And I don’t see why cunt is a worse word that cock, prick, dick, or pecker. Calling a guy any of those things is sort of par for the course these days, so why should cunt be off limits for women? It’s just not fair.
This gets right in my sights over the hypocritcal vagaries of third-wave feminism. Feminists claim to want equality, to be just like men, no matter how impossible that may be. Men spend a lot of time insulting one another by belittling their pensises, and lobbing genital-based insults at one another. But when a man calls a woman a cunt? Oh, he’s in big trouble. Equality, though, involves not a little sexual harrassment.
But enough screeding, back to obscenity. Cunt isn’t a nice word, but it’s an earthy word and sometimes appropriate, don’t you think? Very Anglo-Saxon and somehow straightforward, even though it’s a euphemism. Its history is old, but uncertain. They’ve traced it back to Old Norse kunta, or Old Frisian / Middle Low German kunte, and before that, possibly Proto-Germanic kunton. The Online Etymology Dictionary lists several ideas about what it’s ultimate root might be and suggests the following Proto Indo-European stems:
- *geu meaning “hollow place”
- *gwen, the root of the word Queen, and the foundation of the Greek word gyne
- *sker meaning “to cut” or “sheath”
- *(s)keu meaning “to conceal, hide”
What’s most interesting is that this word has increased increased in vulgarity and obscenity ranking over the years, opposite the paths most words follow. It’s known as vulgar since the 15th century, but has only been considered obscene since the 17th.
There are lots of ways to talk about and reference vaginas. People have very strong opinions about which euphemisms work and don’t work. Christopher, for example, can’t stand when anyone uses “cooter.” I’m not all that big on “cooch” or “muffin.” I do tend to like British versions: “twat” when being less-than-poetic, or “quim” when I’m trying to sound ladylike. The British can use “cunting” as an adverb, too, which I am extremely jealous of.
I think, like fuck, it should be recognized for the useful word it is, and used without prejudice. Certainly you may be so enraged that someday you need to call someone a cunt, just as would call them a clown-fucking whore wagon. Go with it. But the next time you need an earthy, fast way to refer to a vagina that doesn’t involve a lot of rococo language about petals around a miracle, see how cunt works for you. Then, report back.
*The only character who can get away with saying “vagina” during foreplay is, in case you were wondering, Luna Lovegood.
**”He” is always Severus Snape. But I suspect you knew that.
The C word is like the N word in that women can use it, but a man would get smacked down for saying it, at least in reference to a person. Some words are only allowed to be used by someone that it could also apply to.
When referring to a vagina, I prefer coochie or the old standard pussy, but all the cool kids are saying vajayjay now.
Comment by Skillzy on June 24, 2008 at 9:02 am
I have known plenty of women who view the use of the word “cunt” as the most offensive and disgusting thing anyone can say. That is why I was so surprised to see those of the female sex using it here with no qualms. I know it is a word I am afraid to use in all but the most extreme situations.
I find that the shortened version of vagina has a certain ring to it. “Vag” (pronounced with a ‘j’ sound as in ‘vaj’) is also hot with the Myspace crowd.
Comment by shadowhelm on June 24, 2008 at 9:12 am
Again I get back to the idea that words are words. There are no bad words, just words. The fact that someone can take offense at hearing cock or pussy but be ok with hearing penis and vagina is just eighteen shades of stupid.
Comment by doc on June 24, 2008 at 9:13 am
Dude, I got quoted in a Sarah post! Awesome!
I’ve never referred to my vagina during sex. Admittedly, I may not have had enough sex yet for it to count, but there you go.
I like “hoo-haa,” “vajayjay,” “vag,” and actually “vagina” (because it makes people stare at me, especially when I say it loudly) for public consumption.
I have a female friend who uses the phrase “cunt-face” when she’s pissed. It’s highbrow hilarity.
Comment by Poptart on June 24, 2008 at 10:07 am
lol my husband was reading this over my shoulder and asked “Do you know that Poptart person?” Hearing the C word is a common occurrence around here. To me it is just like any other word and should be used as such.
But I do prefer “cunt-faced whore” when angry.
Comment by Miranda on June 24, 2008 at 10:27 am
Everybody should know Poptart! Poptart makes lives better!
Also, “hooha” is one of those crazy words that’s got two meanings, depending on how old you are. I hear people use it to mean “person in power” and I have to concentrate hard on not falling out, because it so means twat!
Comment by Sarah, etc. on June 24, 2008 at 10:31 am
i say ‘cunt’ all the time, but i’m rarely talking about a woman’s ladybits. along those same lines i also say ‘twat’ a good bit. but when i’m speaking of anatomy i’ll typically say vag, vajay, or box.
admittedly, saying ‘cunt’ has a tendency to turn some heads at the bar and get you some dirty looks but they always come from a bunch of cunts anyway so who cares.
Comment by austin on June 24, 2008 at 11:35 am
Hoo-Ha! My favorite, by far…
Of course, I laugh out loud when “Barbie” on Scrubs refers to it as “bajingo”.
Comment by Nicole on June 24, 2008 at 11:42 am
Austin: You made me laugh out loud today. Good on ya.
Comment by shadowhelm on June 24, 2008 at 12:25 pm
I myself am more of a “cunt” person than a “vaj” or “vajayjay” person. I have no good reason for this other than that both “vaj” and “vajayjay” make me want to giggle, and “cunt” — which has the blunt, workaday feel of “kitchen” and “catch” and “cat” (no pun intended) — doesn’t. However, most of my girlfriends abhor “cunt”; because I don’t, I always thought I was in the minority. I’m happy to see there are other “cunt” lovers out there.
P.S.: Thanks for the link, Sarah.
Comment by Editrix on June 25, 2008 at 10:31 am
[...] to our not-so-very-long-ago discussion of cunt as a useful, worthwhile word, it’s now appearing on t-shirts of Obama supporters near [...]
Pingback by Cunt Writ Large : Sarah Et Cetera on October 13, 2008 at 1:17 pm
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Comment by lubarik on March 6, 2010 at 1:45 pm
Всех пользователей женского рода поздравляю с 8 марта.
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