Obviously nothing is set in stone with language it is always changing. I don't know that I'd call say Merriam-Webster unofficial (urban dic sure though) which includes woman as a definition. I should maybe clarify I'm speaking solely to using it as an insult or a term of disparagement. I also have no problem with the term being used in some situations (consensual kink scenes for example).Bug MuIdoon said:Oxford English Dictionary:Harker067 said:If you go looking at both official dictionaries (and even informal ones like urban dic) you repeatedly see **** as referring both to female genitals but also just "a woman". As it's been popular enough to make it into the dictionary I'd call it fair to say ****=women is another definition.
****
noun
vulgar slang
1. A woman?s genitals.
2. An unpleasant or stupid person.
Nothing untoward there in regards to being a female.
I read a few other 'unofficial' dictionaries too, and yes some of them pointed towards: Usually disparaging & obscene : woman
I don't really see where it's set in stone as **** = Woman. So jumping on that theory and defending it skin and teeth seems a little odd to me. I'm sure people believe that definition, and some unofficial sources may state that, but that's just different people opinions on the word. Which kind of leads me back to the argument of many other posters, The word is only sexist to people who feel it's sexist, and the way the word is used.
Ah, I see. I'm not sure where you're from, but (from my experiences) in the U.K I've never heard it said to mean the same thing as pussy, It's just an insult towards someone you find unpleasant. It has no gender specific connotation.Harker067 said:Far too often I see **** used on a woman to get her to shut up or on a man similar to pussy for doing something "unmanly". Maybe you have a distinctly different experience with the usage of the word but that's what I've seen.
So, if it doesn't have an official origin towards sexism, and over here in the U.K it has no gender attachment but over in the U.S (Sorry, I'm just guessing you're from the U.S?) it does, then which is correct? Surely it just falls back to the argument that it depends on where and how it's used.
One thing I did find quite interesting that I wasn't aware of, which maybe most feminists are (I don't know), is the origin of Vagina.
While **** (Cunnus, Coynte, Kunta, kunte, con, coño, cona) was just a name given to the entire female genitalia with no further meaning, Vagina actually means 'Sword-sheath'! I find it weird that the far less "offensive" word is surely the far sexist.
Please poke me if none of this makes any sense, It's very late and I'm tired, ha ha
I haven't heard it used exactly like pussy but with similar intent (I'm Canadian). Actually the problem with pussy is not its origins or even directly with being scared but more broadly that it is often used by men to admonish men for not being "Manly" enough. That is really very sexist.
Unfortunately for you and other Brits it has a strong gender to a lot of English speakers. If you want to get along well in an international environment like the internet other people can have different backgrounds and some of them can actually be hurt by the words you choose to use (ex people who've lived through abusive relationships). I had a girl friend who could be literally moved to tears from just hearing the word "****"*. You and everyone else here are free to use these words no one is forcing you not to but myself and others aren't going to think very well of you for it.
I'm sorry this is late I honestly have very little tolerance for these discussions and spread my participation farther out.
* if someone says/thinks well that's her problem it doesn't affect me that's a really callous attitude