General Discussion

guillaumeb

(42,649 posts)

60. I have used the word whore when referring to politicians who give every appearance

Sat Jul 18, 2015, 05:11 PM

Jul 2015

of voting based on contributions. Given that the word can be used as a noun and a verb I feel that it is acceptable language. "To whore" means to do an action for money. It also obviously has a sexual connotation, but even then there are examples of males and females giving sex for money or other favors. But as numerous commenters have mentioned, context is everything.

I also think that referring to Donald Trump as a publicity whore is perfectly acceptable. Again, context and venue is the key here. I represented people as a union representative for 33 years and never used the word, but in the context of the grievance procedure or other venues where I represented people the word would have been inappropriate.

Should DU be a site where every word must be scrutinized for its offense causing potential? And if so, what descriptive words will be banned?

Can I use the phrase "fat cat", or will that be seen as a slur against some people?

I recently posted a clip of a singing pig in response to a comment about teaching a pig to sing, and was promptly accused of insulting people.

Where does the thin skinned, quick to take offense behavior stop?

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Highlight:

History of the use of the word "whore" on DU [View all] kath Jul 2015 OP

If you call a female democratic presidential candidate ... JoePhilly Jul 2015 #1

This ... DURHAM D Jul 2015 #2

Thank you. greatauntoftriplets Jul 2015 #3

Well said mcar Jul 2015 #5

Is that what this OP is really about? Talk about manipulative. stevenleser Jul 2015 #7

Yup ... apparently it's ok to call Hillary ... JoePhilly Jul 2015 #10

Indeed - the post in question (from this morning) had no modifying adjective.... George II Jul 2015 #34

I don't think that it is good idea to call Democratic candidate.... CajunBlazer Jul 2015 #196

Yup. n/t Gormy Cuss Jul 2015 #9

Context is everything. Warpy Jul 2015 #11

You want "context"?? JoePhilly Jul 2015 #13

If you can't stand the heat Warpy Jul 2015 #20

Why, I'm not afraid of clowns who post JoePhilly Jul 2015 #27

Like the contextual difference of calling a woman a whore and calling a man or institution one. Gormy Cuss Jul 2015 #43

No matter what word comes before or after the verb - whore boston bean Jul 2015 #49

It has a clearly nonsexual meaning in one usage now, namely doing anything for money. Gormy Cuss Jul 2015 #161

I am going to disagree with that. boston bean Jul 2015 #162

Every use relies on comparison to the dictionary meaning of the word gollygee Jul 2015 #164

But it's not a metaphorical use, it's an accepted meaning of the term. Gormy Cuss Jul 2015 #174

No, it is a metaphor gollygee Jul 2015 #176

When it's become one of the accepted meanings of the word it's no longer just metaphorical. Gormy Cuss Jul 2015 #179

It is used that way as a metaphor gollygee Jul 2015 #180

This is exactly it. kiva Jul 2015 #195

Unless the woman is in the sex industry, calling a woman a WHORE is sexist hate speech. MADem Jul 2015 #69

So melman Jul 2015 #139

No, it isn't "OK" but it stands up to scrutiny as a descriptor, insulting as it might be. MADem Jul 2015 #141

"They" I read the post and looked to see if I recognized the name. Did not. But what I did see was jwirr Jul 2015 #47

These should be discussed over in GD-P - don't bring it here as Meta. kath Jul 2015 #50

To my knowledge no one has suggested banning the word. DURHAM D Jul 2015 #57

No no ... please feel free to use that word as much as makes you happy ... JoePhilly Jul 2015 #102

Meta prohibitions only apply to the thread - starting post. We can get as Meta as we wanna be MADem Jul 2015 #130

Thank you Warpy. kath Jul 2015 #25

We have word jumpers and outrage trolls who alert on every word they don't like Warpy Jul 2015 #33

Can't take the heat? JoePhilly Jul 2015 #89

At the root of it they still all mean the same thing. boston bean Jul 2015 #35

Context? ismnotwasm Jul 2015 #36

I read fine. JoePhilly Jul 2015 #38

It isn't an issue of reading comprehension gollygee Jul 2015 #39

people always do that here...take a metaphor literally m-lekktor Jul 2015 #115

... Scuba Jul 2015 #148

There is NO context in which it is acceptable to call a woman a whore. pnwmom Jul 2015 #135

Rationalizing is everything. In this case, context is simply a pretty box we place our rationalizati LanternWaste Jul 2015 #193

100% agree n/t gollygee Jul 2015 #22

That you even have to explain that is unbelievable. It really isnt still_one Jul 2015 #30

Exactly ismnotwasm Jul 2015 #32

Agreed. ancianita Jul 2015 #37

Well said. KMOD Jul 2015 #40

Absolutely! But it reflects so poorly on Bernie supporters in general that I am suprised... Walk away Jul 2015 #46

What are we to do? The poster had 160 posts and I for one do not remember seeing any of these jwirr Jul 2015 #52

I'm reading this thread of lame excuses by Bernie Supporters... Walk away Jul 2015 #72

I totally agree with you. DURHAM D Jul 2015 #83

Henry was a rescued Cairn Terrier but I always thought he had Westie in there too..... Walk away Jul 2015 #98

Henry was brilliant. I see why you loved him. nt MADem Jul 2015 #131

I watched the vid. He seemed precious! boston bean Jul 2015 #155

I am a Bernie supporter who was among all those arguing against the word's use, which, by ancianita Jul 2015 #204

Wow, what did I miss? Starry Messenger Jul 2015 #58

Here you go... DURHAM D Jul 2015 #73

Ugh. :( Starry Messenger Jul 2015 #120

Yup. Agschmid Jul 2015 #74

Agreed. That was just wrong. historylovr Jul 2015 #77

+ a million. nt sufrommich Jul 2015 #80

Amen to JP shenmue Jul 2015 #82

absolutely right.... quickesst Jul 2015 #90

Thank you (nt) Recursion Jul 2015 #100

FWIW, the jury system has been a hot mess for awhile now... Blue_Tires Jul 2015 #104

I was on that jury. I was shocked it wasn't hidden. nt Adrahil Jul 2015 #110

Well Done, JoePhilly! Cha Jul 2015 #121

Exactlly. sheshe2 Jul 2015 #122

^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^ Tarheel_Dem Jul 2015 #140

x 10,000 irisblue Jul 2015 #146

A-frigging-men! Surya Gayatri Jul 2015 #160

Nailed it... SidDithers Jul 2015 #165

Nailed it in one. nt msanthrope Jul 2015 #189

+infinity Kalidurga Jul 2015 #201

Most interactions with whores have a "happy ending". ZX86 Jul 2015 #4

No, censorship never accomplishes what it seeks to control Ligyron Jul 2015 #6

Censorship involves the government making some kind of expression illegal gollygee Jul 2015 #24

The word "whore" shouldn't be applied to prostitutes anymore LittleBlue Jul 2015 #8

Interesting, still not a good reason to show disrespect. Thinkingabout Jul 2015 #12

The word is wrong whether used for sex workers or otherwise gollygee Jul 2015 #29

Unrec... just delete this meta shite. n/t demmiblue Jul 2015 #14

Here's one that didn't show up in the first 7 pages of the search, kath Jul 2015 #15

That should have been hidden too gollygee Jul 2015 #21

I checked mercuryblues Jul 2015 #67

That poster just got a post hidden today, surprise, surprise... nt MADem Jul 2015 #132

I'm sure you're bringing this up now because of the furor over a post early this morning.... George II Jul 2015 #16

Can we not discuss the use of this word, in its various CONTEXTS, without getting all kath Jul 2015 #18

Would you be offended if, because of this OP, I called you (obviously not meaning it so DON'T..... George II Jul 2015 #23

It is meta gollygee Jul 2015 #42

After this the name Bernie Sanders actually makes me sick. You people have finally... Walk away Jul 2015 #51

Because of a 160 post idiot? Are you sure he/she is a supporter of Bernie? The trolls come to DU jwirr Jul 2015 #55

Yes "she" is a Bernie supporter. nt DURHAM D Jul 2015 #59

It is a Clinton supporter sock who claims to be a Bernie supporter... demmiblue Jul 2015 #65

Yes, I do not know for sure who the poster was - as I said I did not recognize the name. But when jwirr Jul 2015 #75

I'm sure it will be used ad infinitum. SOP, for some. n/t demmiblue Jul 2015 #78

I guess the threads filled with Bernie supporters defending the use of the word.... Walk away Jul 2015 #81

You have no idea what I think... I would have voted to hide. Nice try, though. n/t demmiblue Jul 2015 #84

It's refreshing to hear of a Bernie supporter who it's so blinded by their... Walk away Jul 2015 #91

I think the reference was to the OP here, justifying the use of the word. George II Jul 2015 #87

Oh, please... Blue_In_AK Jul 2015 #99

I never claimed to be a supporter. Most Democrats aren't. Walk away Jul 2015 #111

I've been a Democrat and a woman for a long time, Blue_In_AK Jul 2015 #118

Please, my mother brought me into the voting booth when she cast her vote for JFK... Walk away Jul 2015 #158

Here is you calling a woman a whore on DU. How can that be? It's like, hypocrisy almost!!!! Bluenorthwest Apr 2016 #206

I called the entire family attention whores. The leader is a man. Walk away Apr 2016 #207

Not a new usage. Igel Jul 2015 #17

Yeah that must make it OK because there's no misogyny in the Bible. gollygee Jul 2015 #31

Bullshit gollygee Jul 2015 #19

So it is misogynist even when it is applied to male politicians, male media figures and male kath Jul 2015 #44

The word is misogynist gollygee Jul 2015 #54

In other contexts its meaning is mistakenly conflated with 'prostitute'. ancianita Jul 2015 #63

Okay. Thought provoking. Perhaps "whore" should not be used at DU, but "sellout" or "shill" used kath Jul 2015 #70

Thank you n/t BooScout Jul 2015 #53

I wish I could say I'm surprised Jamaal510 Jul 2015 #147

Meta! Iggo Jul 2015 #26

KelvinMace scolded me for that years ago... hunter Jul 2015 #28

Another words have magical powers thread. hobbit709 Jul 2015 #41

White privilege. n/t Gormy Cuss Jul 2015 #45

I thought it was the music that has magic power pintobean Jul 2015 #56

Geeeee.... BooScout Jul 2015 #48

I have used the word whore when referring to politicians who give every appearance guillaumeb Jul 2015 #60

So, if I called Sanders a whore for the gun industry, that would be ok with you? OKNancy Jul 2015 #61

Meta kath Jul 2015 #64

You have got to be kidding... boston bean Jul 2015 #71

This whole thread is meta starting with your OP. PeaceNikki Jul 2015 #168

Don't be a hypocrite. gollygee Jul 2015 #170

So - the general consensus is that posts containing the word "whore" should always be hidden kath Jul 2015 #62

You can find people using the "B" word and the "C" word in the DU archives, too. MADem Jul 2015 #66

Who, other than you, suggested an outright ban on the word "whore"? tammywammy Jul 2015 #68

Made up by a BSer. nt DURHAM D Jul 2015 #85

That's what I figured tammywammy Jul 2015 #86

Bullshit. I'm a Bernie supporter on the jury who's been arguing against the use of that word. ancianita Jul 2015 #107

I thought it was clear I was referring to the OP in my post tammywammy Jul 2015 #112

This message was self-deleted by its author ancianita Jul 2015 #114

I was led to DU from a website called Media Whores that no Cleita Jul 2015 #76

The folks who ran that website were not misogynists and would not approve of folks calling Hillary stevenleser Jul 2015 #93

Where in my post did you get any reference to Hillary? Cleita Jul 2015 #94

That post gives some context for what started the current argument muriel_volestrangler Jul 2015 #95

So? I didn't call her that. Cleita Jul 2015 #96

The thread isn't about what you have said muriel_volestrangler Jul 2015 #97

That poster loves to make it all about her. n/t JTFrog Jul 2015 #124

Post removed Post removed Jul 2015 #125

Oh, gonna berate me again because I dared tell about being raped and beaten? JTFrog Jul 2015 #126

I thought I offered to talk to you, privately, off line about that. Cleita Jul 2015 #127

Post removed Post removed Jul 2015 #128

If the "media whores" they were talking about were FEMALE broadcasters, you'd have a problem with it MADem Jul 2015 #134

we run out of nuance olddots Jul 2015 #79

I didn't know it was considered today to be just a sexual term. People valerief Jul 2015 #88

It's not "just" a sexual term. But one does not have to be a weatherman to know which way the wind MADem Jul 2015 #181

"We ask. You decide" LuvLoogie Jul 2015 #92

I would no sooner use that word than I would use ... etherealtruth Jul 2015 #101

Amen to that. ancianita Jul 2015 #109

heck, there's a whole island of them apparently! MisterP Jul 2015 #103

Whore you asking? Orrex Jul 2015 #105

Censorship? Is this the most important issue you can think of that needs to be dvocated for? notadmblnd Jul 2015 #106

Toxic language in the name of the 1st Amendment creates toxic environments for campaigns. ancianita Jul 2015 #113

And what does that have to do with censoring language on DU? notadmblnd Jul 2015 #116

A toxic language environment in politics is downright indecent. Don't pretend otherwise. ancianita Jul 2015 #117

You dare me? What, are we in the 5th grade here? notadmblnd Jul 2015 #183

This political website by adults who don't use childish talk. I advocate suspension, not censorship. ancianita Jul 2015 #190

What you said to me is childish. notadmblnd Jul 2015 #194

I did presume to tell the poster that not clarifying what he meant left his words interpretable ancianita Jul 2015 #198

Don't twist what I said into "promote all the free use of language." I am against censorship notadmblnd Jul 2015 #199

As a juror I'll say you're welcome. I have a daily 99% chance of being on one for a reason. ancianita Jul 2015 #200

Yes, I've been a donating member in the past also notadmblnd Jul 2015 #203

No one resurrected "nigger" when Obama ran, and no one's using "whore" while Clinton runs. ancianita Jul 2015 #108

Are the DU hosts asleep? KMOD Jul 2015 #119

That rec list is hilariously unsurprising. n/t JTFrog Jul 2015 #123

What, not a whore? - Othello Act 4 Scene 2 William Shakespeare Tierra_y_Libertad Jul 2015 #129

No, not. You are deceived by treachery LuvLoogie Jul 2015 #143

in the case of this video, it was the center of the issue, and should probably be allowed tomm2thumbs Jul 2015 #133

The Word Police have arrived TerrapinFlyer Jul 2015 #136

Right on man. KMOD Jul 2015 #137

You can call a woman anything you want... it helps point out who is on the wrong side TerrapinFlyer Jul 2015 #138

Calling a woman a whore is something you should have learned was wrong by age four. KMOD Jul 2015 #142

Right! TerrapinFlyer Jul 2015 #145

Bingo! B Calm Jul 2015 #191

The words "whore" or "prostitute" should never be used to attack any woman, pnwmom Jul 2015 #144

I don't think I've ever used the word here madokie Jul 2015 #149

How the fuck is this thread not META? I've had similar ones locked when trying to discuss why a boston bean Jul 2015 #150

That was a grave dancing thread. pintobean Jul 2015 #159

Oh, all grave dancing threads are locked? Uh no they are not. boston bean Jul 2015 #163

You seem to be able to find that message a lot. pintobean Jul 2015 #166

point me to some others that were gravedancing. You're good with the search button. boston bean Jul 2015 #167

cyberswede's thread was a day before your's pintobean Jul 2015 #173

SKP was banned. My thread was a positive thread regarding the actions taken. boston bean Jul 2015 #175

Pffft pintobean Jul 2015 #177

ha! boston bean Jul 2015 #178

Also, it was a postive post about an action taken on DU. It was not boston bean Jul 2015 #172

Does not follow any of the criteria in the Statement of Purpose... Phentex Jul 2015 #169

I don't think any word should be banned on DU. Vinca Jul 2015 #151

Ok, but those that use them words in the context of misogynistic/sexist/racist/homophobic boston bean Jul 2015 #154

Exactly. Vinca Jul 2015 #156

It would certainly cut down on the usage and make this place feel much more welcoming boston bean Jul 2015 #157

When they got nothing..... Smarmie Doofus Jul 2015 #152

You know when it is I think a person has "got nothing" boston bean Jul 2015 #153

Strange OP/thread. H2O Man Jul 2015 #171

Been thinking alot about this thread since yesterday kath Jul 2015 #182

This is what I posted yesterday when someone labeled Hillary thus: tblue37 Jul 2015 #184

"Whore" is inescapably sexual and misogynist. Adrahil Jul 2015 #185

Reality: It's important that we carefully monitor our language when speaking Zorra Jul 2015 #186

I find it interesting 'progressives' use gender-demeaning terms at all. wyldwolf Jul 2015 #187

This is a really stupid thread MFrohike Jul 2015 #188

We certainly do try to rationalize our dramatic lack of empathy in odd little ways... LanternWaste Jul 2015 #192

I don't think that it is good idea to call Democratic candidate.... CajunBlazer Jul 2015 #197

CajunBlazer OP about Bernie: Bluenorthwest Apr 2016 #205

I posted the evoution of just one term this mornig nadinbrzezinski Jul 2015 #202