Context is everything. Calling a woman a cunt, especially in a derogatory way does not equal positive reappropriation. Refering to own body part in a possitive way, such in context of the Vagina Monologues, definitely positive reappropriation.

I had a friend who just couldn't understand how important context was. Seems pretty basic to me.

Bill O'Reily had a fuckin' field day with the "c-word" on his show yesterday. First, he had a female attorney on to see if the government should step in and censor people like Jane Fonda. Then he had a quick clip of "pinheads" who use foul language live. Wouldn't you know that all of the pinheads saying naughty things were female celebrities! I don't understand why right wingers are so uncomfortable saying words that are synonymous for vagina. Fuck! People are uncomfortable even saying vagina!

Why do the Scots make everything sound acceptable? Take, for instance, Sean Connery's pronunciation of Ms. Galore's name: "Pushy."

Ahh, thanks for that Today Show clip, Ann. I have that ridiculous show on when I'm getting ready for work (I don't know why exactly; I need news in the morning but I DESPISE that show and it's upper-middle class, conservative, heterosexual-only focus), but I wasn't in the room when Jane and Eve were talking to Meredith. When I saw the preview for their interview, I was pleasantly surprised that they were on that show. I wouldn't think the Today Show would bend their conservative boundaries and have them on the show and actually - gasp - SAY vagina.

But I did come back in the room in time to see Meredith's whimpering, pathetic apology. Afterwards I talked with my partner trying to figure out what word Jane had dared to say! I was torn between pussy and cunt. I figured she wouldn't say cunt cos she knew how ridiculously conservative the Today Show is so I figured it had been pussy. But cunt wins! Always. :-)

context is king. i wonder about cunt though, has it transitioned to a word to be used by females only? many of my friends argue about "nigger" and the consensus seems to be that only black people may use that word. same thing with dyke, fag, wetback and a host of others. has each subgroup appropriated them?

i forget what show i was watching but a guy was discussing the subject of the "n-word", "c-word", and so on and basically chided us for being so childish, how is it we've gotten to the point where mature adults, discussing the very use of these words, will not say them? fascinating.

Halperin SAYS he was paraphrasing Edwards... but that's a cop-out since "he's not aggressive enough to counter the right wing smear machine" in no way translates to "pussy" or any sort of gendered thing except in the braindead media's mind.

Is there any evidence that John Edwards really said anything like that at all? Or is Mark Halperin just talking out of his ass (per usual)? If he is actually paraphrasing Edwards' sentiments (which is unclear), I bet that it was in regards to Obama not being strong on an issue or not a fighter... but that Edwards didn't use gendered language.

Pussy is the word that my few female friends and I used in high school to refer to their own vaginas... actually, the whole vulva, labia/vagina combo... so for me, it's always stuck. I hear people use it in a derogatory manner but not nearly so much as back in middle school and high school. It's the word that both my partner and I use, but only in a sexual way... never as an insult to anyone.

It seems to me that I hear more and more women using the term to describe men who they don't think are "manly" enough.

So, people's reactions to Jane Fonda freaked me out. That she "accidentally" said cunt. No, that's the title of the -monologue-, in which the whole point is reappropriating the word. We were watching the Conan Late show, or whatever (I don't know why, I've never thought he was funny) they did this long drawn out segment on it, during which they mentioned that everyone was madly apologizing. It seems totally counter-productive.

I was checking my yahoo email and in the entertainment news box there was a headline reading, "Jane Fonda uses vulgar slang word on the Today Show." So I clicked on the link and saw the freezed frame picture of Fonda with Eve Ensler and knew what the vulgar word was before I even found the video link.

My reaction, this is why there is a monologue in the Vagina Monologue that has the audience chant the word Cunt...

I wouldn't call this subversive, but I have used "pussy" as an insult against hypermasculine men. First off, I know that it insults them. Second, the fact that that word insults them is good enough reason to insult them in that way. Third, any man who tries to cover his insecurities by acting like a macho meathead is, de facto, weak, much weaker than a man who acknowledges his insecurities and doesn't take them out on women or gay men.

I have a hard time believeing Halperin was "paraphrasing" Edwards. I think Halperin was free-lancing.

do people know of inga muscio's book of the same name? she very cleverly traces its etymology to demonstrate that it initially wasn't meant as derogatory toward women but as an empowering term. i am bringing her to speak on my campus and hope she enlightens and moves lots of people. the timing of this and the jane fonda situation seems too coincidental :)

"context is king."

You mean Queen?

I used to believe in the reclamation of the word bitch, but I dont think it works. Everytime I use the word, 'bitch,' to refer to a women with leadership characteristics I feel I'm still perpetuating a denial of recognizing her power because I'm not calling it what it is.

I still feel like I'm perpetuating a misogynistic outlook even when I'm trying to change its meaning.
However, I love the word cunt!

I was in shock yesterday when I saw everyone falling over themselves to apologize for using the word cunt. I also read Inga Muscio's Cunt about 7 years ago, and reclaimed the word! All of my girlfriends and I use it with pride. It is absolutely ridiculous that womyn cannot even use the word without having to apologize for it. Again, everything in context. If it is used in a derogatory way, that is a different story. But I was elated to see Brook Shields and Eva Ensler coming to the defense of the word tonight, and having NO SHAME!

Censorship is a bad thing. It is unwise and silly for Congress or the Federal Communictions Commission to impose sanctions for the mere use during a television broadcast of one of the words from George Carlin's famous monologue.

Meredith Viera's discomfort with Jane Fonda's language, however, is well grounded in economic reality. If the FCC levies hefty fines upon NBC-owned television stations, (as it did on CBS-owned stations for Janet Jackson's Super Bowl performance,) Ms. Fonda is not the one who will have to pay such fines.

I'm pretty sure George Carlin didn't make up 'cunt'.

feministorbust,
YES! it's one of my most favorite books ever! Completely changed my life. Inga Muscio is so loving and knowledgeable, I contacted her to let her know I absolutely loved her book and she sent me a bunch of "Cunt" stickers. I am actually passing this book among my friends.

I love just how she breaks everything down and tries redefine the word itself in a positive, "cunt-loving" [her own term] way and pretty much covers just about everything about the word itself.

I urge everyone to read her book! For more info on Inga go to www.ingalagringa.com

"Cunt" is very guttural and sounds blunt and hostile. A very sharp, one-syllable word. However, a "pussy" sounds soft, warm and inviting.

It's very much like the way "hard-on" sounds harsh. "Erection" is too medical/scientific sounding. On the other hand, a "woody" is a friendly thing to be shared with others. Now a "boner"...

I was watching the show live on Tuesday morning. When Fonda said that, my reaction was "she just said cunt, awesome" followed by "oh crap, that's going to be Janet Jackson's nipple all over again."

Why must we over react? Yargh.

P.S. If she had said "dick" there probably wouldn't have been a problem. Just throwing that out there.

I read "Cunt" by Inga Muscio. However, I felt she was anti-choice. She describes herself as a "pro-choice" baby-killer. She laments the ages at which her children would have been if she hadnt had an abortion. I'd prefer if someone else would write another book about "Cunt" without the anti-choice guilt proselytizing. I also didnt like her support of transgendered people at the "Womyns Festival." I've got nothing against transgendered people, but where you going to draw the line? Cant I just say I'm a woman trapped inside a mans body and be a total dick swaggering, bearded dude? Why even bother taking hormones? People come from around the world to be in a womyns only environment, and seeing a penis is NOT why they came. Some are the victims of rape, and seeing a phallus brings back horrible memories. Who says a transgendered person cant rape the women? I feel its unsafe, and irrational.

"If she had said "dick" there probably wouldn't have been a problem."

Unfortunetly. I think the FCC regulations need to be updated. Obviously, Fonda wasnt using 'cunt' in the derogatory sense. They should draw a line between understanding the feminist version and using it in the sexist derogatory manner.

Really?
I didn't quite pick up that message when I read her book, it's an interesting comment though, I might have to go back and read it again.

I just felt like she was just sharing her own personal experience with I believe, three abortions she had? Or was it two? I don't quite remember. She does describe going through a clinical abortion very emotionally and physically painful, which brings a negative message about choice, but what I got from it was that her abortion experience was painful because of our government constantly trying to mess with out reproductive rights. I am sure that if our government would have a little more faith in us and make both abortions and contraceptives safe and accessible to everyone. Nevertheless I need to go back and read it again.

As far as transgendered people go, that is a super sensitive topic that I really can't get into, but I do believe in giving people choice of what to do with their bodies, whether it's taking contraceptives or undergoing sex-change operations (even though hormones and operations have their serious risks). It's something I really don't want to get into because I am not a transgender and have no idea as to how they feel and what their desires are which are even diverse within their group.

thanks for writing about this!
sexism is a horrible problem that plagues every aspect of our society. this is obviously true for women, but true as well for men (like me!)

I've got nothing against transgendered people, but where you going to draw the line? Cant I just say I'm a woman trapped inside a mans body and be a total dick swaggering, bearded dude? Why even bother taking hormones?

That is one of the most ignorant comments I have ever read on a feminist forum. Trans*women are not men. They are born trans*women, and aren't given a choice when they are labeled as "boys" early on. They grow up as trans*women, not boys. Eventually some trans*women are able to take control of their bodies to some extent by using hormones and other medical interventions. I would encourage you to do some research and listen to trans*people's voices. You might learn something.

People come from around the world to be in a womyns only environment, and seeing a penis is NOT why they came. Some are the victims of rape, and seeing a phallus brings back horrible memories. Who says a transgendered person cant rape the women? I feel its unsafe, and irrational.

Trans*women with their penises still intact are not going to be waving them around at a women's festival, or anywhere else for that matter. Do you honestly believe that a trans*woman would rape another woman? At a women's festival? Really?

actually, the etymology of the word "pussy" as it is used in a derogatory sense is unrelated to the sexual euphemism etymology. "Pussy" as it relates to vulvas (vulvae?) comes from a German word meaning "vulva" (puse) or an Old Norse word meaning "pouch" (puss). "Pussy" meaning weak or wimpy came out as a mispronunciation of "pursy," an older English word meaning fat and wimpy.

as for reclaiming "pussy," look no further than your friendly neighborhood sex columnist Dan Savage. Recently, a female fan called him out on using "pussy" in its derogatory sense. Consider, she entreated: pussies are a strong and awesome network of muscles! They can take a pounding! They can spit out human beings! They are anything but weak and pliable! Dan conceded and claimed (tongue-in-cheek) that he has never, EVER used the word "pussy" in a derogatory sense, and promptly began to use the term to mean strong, empowered, and all-around the opposite of its original connotation. At the suggestion of another fan, he prefers now to use the word "scrotum" where he had previously said "pussy." Consider: scrota (?) shrink up in the cold, are extremely vulnerable, reduce people to a blubbering fetal position when they are even tapped, etc. Not that we should be anthropomorphizing genitalia or anything, and certainly no hate for the scrotum, but, y'know, food for thought.

derrp, thanks for that. I was going to say something similar. One of my close friends is a transwoman (lucky enough to be post-op) and I seriously don't understand why anyone would even think of her as a man, no matter what her operational status. She is a woman, no matter what body parts she was born with.

I would think that no one would have the guts to rape someone at a women-only festival, for fear of reprisal from the majority. And let's not forget that it isn't only penises or people with penises that can rape.

daftgiraffe, that's really funny. I've always joked with my husband that I'm tougher than he is because my "balls" are on the inside, where they can't get hurt. (Considering how often his accidentally get hurt, I definitely think mine make me a little tougher in that way.)

But the fact that you even have to add that you don't hate scrotums is a sad statement of our cultural belief that vulnerability is bad. I wish we could embrace the value of both strength and vulnerability more, without having to make qualifying statements like that.

I'm so glad that nobody uses slang terms of male genetalia as an insult. Only pricks and dickheads do things like that to demean women.