why is it that women, when degraded

[Texasgal]

is done in the form of sexuality?

Not ALWAYS...but many times this seems to be the case. Why is that?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Because that's where we're vulnerable.

And it's so easy for the person doing the degrading to hit us where we are.

I could be wrong, but this is my take on it...

[EFerrari]

7. I don't think it's where we're vulnerable. It's what others fear.

That's why the earliest icons seem to be female deities. Scary females, awesome powers, be very scared. Check it out, Peggy dear:

[create.peace]

76. bingo....nt

[EFerrari]

80. Hi there, create.peace. I once turned in that Thurber cartoon

with a grad paper on Shakespeare's Lear.

lol

[create.peace]

83. perfect! anyone who has been partnered with children as many times as i have

knows where the anger comes from. now nicely partnered with a grown up man. thurber was a genius. by the way one of my exes after throwing all the degrading epithets to no avail said 'you think you're so smart.' i said, 'yes.' argument ended/

[EFerrari]

85. LOL! I like that.

:)

[blue cat]

2. Except for

Bill Clinton.

[Captain Hilts]

3. Then they can say you brought it on yourself. Easy to blame the victim. Women join in. nt

[Dappleganger]

4. It's like using the 'n' word...

it always works in finding the lowest form of denigration.

[liberalmuse]

5. We do it to men, too.

I actually used the word, 'cunt' today to refer to Palin after much contemplation. It is because that is the worst, most insulting thing I could think of. I despise her. Yes, now that I think about it, that is very sad. Men are called 'dicks' or assholes, or if you want to call their parentage into question, 'bastards'. I guess as another poster said, the worst possible slur is to degrade some part of your anatomy that is of a private nature- and, I'll add further, to make it sound dirty, even though it really isn't. I'm not saying it's right, but it seems to hit the mark. In other words, I don't really know. 'Cunt' should actually be a nice word, if one were to really think about it apart from the centuries of stigma attached to it. :(


On edit: your post really got me thinking. It's all about objectifying human beings. We believe that we are much more than an object- that we have a spirit and soul, and to refer to one as a 'cunt' is insulting because it breaks a person down to one function, and is essentially telling them that they are only good for having babies and fucking, to put it crudely. That's not very nice. I can't go back and edit my post, but I'm thankful for yours, because it was definitely food for thought and I shall not be referring to people as parts of their anatomy again any time soon since I really do want to be a better person.

[Delphinus]

102. That's really quite insightful.

Good for you. Thank you for sharing - it's given me something to think about too.

[Gwendolyn]

6. Do you mean physically? Or with words?

If the latter, even the Cliff's notes would be 5 pages long.

But suffice to say, it harkens back to the days when women were considered property. Lineage has always been important in patriarchal societies, so keeping women prisoner to the clan was important. Shaming and punishing those who express sexuality is part of that. Some would even say it goes back to caveman days.

[EFerrari]

9. I was just thinking today that privacy was pretty much invented

in the late 16th -- with bedrooms.

We still have to argue for ours. What is THAT if not degrading a human being to something less than sentient.

[Gwendolyn]

19. I agree completely!

:) I am amazed at the blank looks you get when you try to explain it, too.

[Texasgal]

11. I was just curious

because of the furor over the Palin/Letterman incident.

The whole "slut" thing and the "knocked up" thing.

[EFerrari]

13. That seems to me Dave turning Palin's hypocrisy back on her

in her own terms. But, I'm a fan of his.

[Texasgal]

15. when a women is called

"whore" or "slut" it seems to pack more of a punch than "stupid" or "asshole"

I guess that was my whole reasoning.

[EFerrari]

17. Sure. And the slur isn't contained to that one woman

but overflows to those around here. Pretty neat mechanism of social control.

[gratuitous]

21. "Whore" and "slut" are pretty mean

But at least you'll never be called a "pin-dicked bug-fucker," an epithet I reserve for special occasions.

[Gwendolyn]

23. Well but that's it! Goes back to the beginning of time.

Women have always been considered sluts when they step outside the acceptable Marriage Bed. Sexuality is to be reserved for the provider, who doesn't want to be raising the "milkman's" kid. Actually, even in the animal kingdom, you have the alpha males protecting their harems from the lowlier animals. It's in the same vein.

Part of it is also because prostitution is mostly in the realm of women and isn't exactly a respected profession. But things are sooooo slowly changing and the term "manwhore" isn't exactly complimentary. "Skank" can also be applied to both genders and has a sexual connotation.

[DURHAM D]

8. You should spend some time with me.

When I degrade men that upset me (usually because they are sexist pigs) I always use some form of sexuality. Everyone around always laughs because it is pretty funny.

[panader0]

10. What, in all seriousness, is/are the terms that are

acceptable to women for their private parts? I don't mean scientific terms.

[Texasgal]

12. How about nothing?

Why must women be degraded sexually time and time again?

[panader0]

22. Be real

An affectionate term is degrading? Any word is degrading? C'mon.

[Texasgal]

25. I'm speaking of degrading terms/

What are you talking about?

NO.. VAGINA is not a degrading term... "C**t, Pussy and Glory H**le are.

"slut" "whore" are terms degrading to women based on their sexuality.

Did you REALLY need me to descibe that to you?

[Gwendolyn]

26. Not the Puss word. That's often used quite lovingly.

:) And there are similar words for the male apparatus.

[panader0]

27. No

I asked a serious question. In your intimate moments, have you no word for your sexual parts? And if you do, what words are acceptable to you or other women. My first wife referred to her parts as her "yoni". I have heard many others, none intended to be degrading. So, seriously, what terms do you think are OK. Not "nothing".

[EFerrari]

30. "No thing" is a Shakespearean joke for the woman's part, btw.

lol

I don't think your question can have one answer because it's all about context.

[Texasgal]

31. You must not understand

I am not speaking of what two consenting adults call each other.

I am talking about PUBLICLY. Women are consistantly degraded in the form of sexuality constantly.

Is this difficult?

[panader0]

41. Sorry if I offended you gal. Jeez

[Texasgal]

44. I'm sorry.

You did not offend me. I am not making myself clear. I apologize. :hi:

[omega minimo]

55. Bullshit. You understood.

No one's that clueless. :evilfrown:

[panader0]

61. Speaking of being clueless..........

Of course I understood the OP. I asked a separate question, and a sincere one.

[omega minimo]

63. Why? If you're not clueless

why is your "separate" question in relation to THE SEXUAL DEGRADATION OF WOMEN a "sincere" question about
NAMES FOR FEMALE PRIVATE PARTS?


"SINCERE" :puke:
No Respect.

[bluedawg12]

93. He's clearly adding to his body of work as a linguist

and contributor to te Urban Dictionary.

Look at the words he has an interest in defining: hooker, slut, hp.



http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=busybox&defid=2609297

Here's the 1st definition by panadero:
busybox
A hard working hooker
. A sorority girl that's been around
by panadero: "check out that busybox!"


roamer: "i bet she makes $10 per d00d!"
hooker slut ho roamer sorority
by panadero Sep 28, 2007 share this
busybox

[create.peace]

94. not very cunning though.....

[Marr]

37. An odd coincidence. I've often referred to Yanni

as a pussy.

[Gwendolyn]

24. Pet names are private.

:D

But generally speaking, words like va-jay-jay are okay.

[Texasgal]

28. Private is one thing.

With two consenting able adults.

Using sexually degrading words in public is quite another.

[Gwendolyn]

36. Want to know what's even worse? Or at least as bad?

I don't have the numbers in front of me, but remember reading somewhere that over a hundred languages have insults for men that call into question the social/sexual status of their mothers!!! In English there's son of a bitch, bastard, mother-f*cker, How ill is that?

[TahitiNut]

46. Yet there's no feminine equivalent to the word "cuckold."

Go figure. :shrug:

[Gwendolyn]

49. I'm gonna hazard a guess and say...

that's because at the time the word originated, it was commonplace for men to tomcat around with mistresses and ladies of the evening, so that would have been a normal situation. Because men were the lords of the household, the double standard dictated that any man who didn't know what his wife was getting up to was considered stupid, a dupe. :shrug:

[omega minimo]

57. Isn't it usually men running around sticking it wherever and "cuckholding" each other?

Not quite a female Lothario scenario.

[Gwendolyn]

65. Oh people were boinking EACH OTHER as much then as now.

You can't "stick it in wherever" without having a receiver, and at least some of those women creating cuckholds were quite the Lotharias if you can believe the bawdy novels written at the time were loosely based on reality.

[omega minimo]

71. when?

hasn't that word been in use for some time, which one are you talking about?

"bawdy novels" when men owned women?

[Gwendolyn]

74. Yes, the word cuckhold. It's been around since the 11th century.

It implied that a man didn't know his wife was getting some on the side, and later on, also perhaps that he was a milquetoast who couldn't do anything about it because she had the upper hand in the household.

In bawdy novels, I'll include those like Tom Jones in that category, the women who were creating cuckholds were having the time of their lives. Women often were married off to uggers and so had to find romance elsewhere, like with the stable boy or other studly creature.

[create.peace]

79. i am thinking of this 'silly sisters' song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgEp2MGx30M

[Gwendolyn]

88. Great tune!!!

:D

[create.peace]

92. love the silly sisters, and that song's a hoot, double entendres galore nt

[omega minimo]

56. Yes the poster took your

thread off track is a very fucked up way.

[omega minimo]

51. What, in all seriousness, does that have to do with the OP?

[janx]

52. Nothing. n/t

[omega minimo]

54. Nothing except completely and assholey missing the point.

:thumbsdown:

[bluedawg12]

86. In all seriousness, there are no acceptable degrading terms for women. n/t

[Lancer]

14. Women are often objectified sexually,

but they are also insulted for their supposed lack of intelligence. That's an ignorant man expressing fear that he's not the smartest person in the room. A big part of our history has been bound by the notion that women are too stupid to do a lot of things -- own property or sign contracts, work in anything other than "customarily acceptable" occupations, vote, make their own health care decisions. . .

[conspirator]

39. "Mr. Treehorn treats objects like women, man." nt

[canetoad]

87. Wrong

Historically, it has not been the notion that women are stupid, but that when they marry they take their possessions with them to another clan/family. Therefore, they must be prevented from owning property.

[Selatius]

16. I figure it's because when it comes to women, men closely associate them with sex. nt

[mrs_p]

18. i think that when the insults come from men

it is because they still think of us only in sexual terms - we are their sex tools and not much more

[sallylou666]

20. Women are humans

Because many men do not consider women their equal. Women are the "other." A man is the "default" and a woman is lesser. Some men go so far as to deny a woman's humanity. Remember when Hillary Clinton addressed "women's" rights and some people criticized her for not addressing "human" rights?

[Toucano]

29. Sexuality as degradation and insult is about the only thing that applies equally to both sexes.

The majority of insults applied to men involve sex, sexuality, or masculinity. It is rare to insult his intellect.

The majority of insults applied to women involve their sex, sexuality, or appearance (attractiveness). For a woman, promiscuity is a point of attack, but not for men.



To one extent or another, this is true of every culture and language I know.


I often wonder why we use sexuality, supposedly something we enjoy, to hurt and insult people. I have concluded that it must be because humans are so preoccupied with sex in general.

[Texasgal]

32. how does it apply evenly to men?

In a public situation?

[Toucano]

33. What do you mean by "public situation"?

Perhaps I misunderstood your OP.

[Texasgal]

34. sorry.. I have not made myself clear

I guess I was just concerned about sexism used in the media.

[Toucano]

38. Sexism in the media and sexism in our society are probably linked in a vicious circle.

Each arena seems to feed the other, I guess.

[omega minimo]

40. It doesn't apply evenly. At all. As for your musings about "sexuality used ... to hurt and insult"

you are aware that men have controlled most societies on earth and still do, for a very very long long time, right?

Equal? :wow:

[Toucano]

47. What is your problem?

¨...musings..."?

Take a long walk why don't you? Then return when you've learned how to have a conversation.

[omega minimo]

50. Musings. Is that word unfamiliar to you?

"I often wonder why we use sexuality, supposedly something we enjoy, to hurt and insult people. I have concluded that it must be because humans are so preoccupied with sex in general."

Sorry. No offense -- "musings"? pissed you off?

I'm sorry. Do you mind untwisting your knickers and answering the post? :spray:

Something about history, I think it was.

[uppityperson]

66. That could take a while

[omega minimo]

35. It's a man's world.

[TahitiNut]

42. Don't be a dickhead.

:eyes:

[Name removed]

43. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[merh]

45. It's used because it works.

If it had no impact, if it wasn't effective, it wouldn't be used.

[omega minimo]

59. It's used because women used to be men's property and in cases, still are.

[merh]

62. It's used because it still works.

"used to be property" is in the past.

[omega minimo]

64. In the past? And it has no repercussions today?

:wow: you don't know much about the history and how recent much of it is? :shrug:

you think "in the past" is some instant presto change-o and it disappears down the Memory Hole?

Come ON.


Is there only one answer to this? :banghead: IT STILL WORKS BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY AND BECAUSE IT'S STILL A MAN'S WORLD. :eyes:

[merh]

68. You haven't a clue about what I know.

It works, that's all that matters and we are the ones that allow it to keep working.

Now go use your emoticons and your judgments somewhere else, I'm not in to arguing with you.

That is one way to control emotions and not let things get to you. Just realize the games played and walk away from them because games don't mean much if you don't let them.

[omega minimo]

70. I was asking. In the past? "And it has no repercussions today?"

:hi:

[janx]

48. Because that "puts her in her place"--

the ultimate insult. It objectifies her. Addressing her opinions, principles, and brains is a lot tougher. ;-)

[Brooklyns_Finest]

53. Penis Size

The most common insult men receive are:

1)He has a little dick
2)Question his sexuality

[omega minimo]

58. and it's miniscule

in relation to the sexual degradation of women.


Tiny.

[Gwendolyn]

60. There are probably more that question intelligence.

Dickweed, dickwad, dickhead, asshole, douche... these all imply that the male being addressed is an idiot, stupid, useless, a moron. There are probably dozens more that don't come to mind at the moment.

[anigbrowl]

67. It's not gender-specific otherwise...nor is it particularly true

"(woman you can't stand) is a bitch" - nothing particularly sexual there, it's more to do with her style of personal interaction, same as suggesting a guy is an asshole.

"(woman you don't like) is an idiot" - nothing sexual or gender specific.

[omega minimo]

69. Pu*den"dum

Pu*den"dum (?), n. Anat.

The external organs of generation, especially of the female; the vulva.

Pu*den"da (?), n. pl. Anat.

The external organs of generation.


Actually, "pudenda" literally means "shameful things" in Latin. This is one of those facts which is constantly annoying to those of us who don't find sex to be shameful.

It's also sexist, as originally it referred only to the female parts in question ...

("Genitals" is better, but not terribly better, on account of there being lots of other things to do with them than reproduction.)

**********************

Main Entry:
pu·den·dum
Pronunciation:
\pyu̇-ˈden-dəm\
Function:
noun
Inflected Form(s):
plural pu·den·da \-də\
: the external genital organs of a human being; especially : the external genitals of a woman : vulva —usually used in plural

[create.peace]

81. pud is also slang for penis

also the nickname of a character in an old movie with lionel barrymore, a cute kid so we nicknamed one of our boys pud till he was about 8 mos old....then i learned the slang....

[Number23]

72. Even on DU, some posters who bray the loudest about being "feminists"

have said the most disgusting, vile, stupid things to other women who disagreed with them.

Posters who even have some variation of the word "feminist" in their DU handles have hurled insults at other female posters calling them "c*nts" or telling them to go "suck a c*ck," the type of sexually charged degradation that you're referring to.

Why these people aren't banned is just one question; how any woman could call herself a feminist and talk like that to other women is the real question. My guess is that any woman who calls herself a "feminist" and uses language like that is probably just using "feminism" as an excuse for not ever getting laid.

[omega minimo]

73. That in itself

(nice touch at the end, there) is such a misogynist post. Can you back that up?

Where/when have you ever seen anyone that "hurled insults at other female posters calling them "c*nts" or telling them to go "suck a c*ck," "

Really hard to believe. Once? Twice? Every day? What are you talking about?

:wow:

[Number23]

75. You still here?? I'll add that to my list of Unexplainable DU Events

If any one on earth would find a comment about the nastiness of some alleged feminists towards other women "misogynistic" here it would be you. An old expression comes to mind, "a hit dog will holler."

Run along, now. I'm sure you've got a great, big list of people to piss off before the day is over.

[omega minimo]

77. You didn't back up your claim

and yes the thing at the end about getting laid was totally misogynistic.

Can you answer the questions and back up your claims? You are making extreme claims against women and feminists here, if true. Or are the ones you're referring to actually fakers trying to make trouble?


"...have said the most disgusting, vile, stupid things to other women who disagreed with them.

"Posters who even have some variation of the word "feminist" in their DU handles have hurled insults at other female posters calling them "c*nts" or telling them to go "suck a c*ck," the type of sexually charged degradation that you're referring to.

"Why these people aren't banned is just one question; how any woman could call herself a feminist and talk like that to other women is the real question. My guess is that any woman who calls herself a "feminist" and uses language like that is probably just using "feminism" as an excuse for not ever getting laid.


"how any woman could call herself a feminist and talk like that to other women is the real question."

That is the real question. Maybe you're exagerrating or maybe the posts are from trolls or other troublemakers.

"My guess is that any woman who calls herself a "feminist" and uses language like that is probably just using "feminism" as an excuse for not ever getting laid."

A real feminist would not add the nasty shit you put at the end of your post. A misogynist would.

[Number23]

78. Still working on that list?? Eh, well including me that's oh, about half a dozen people

IN ONE THREAD that you've argued with. They should give you a damn award because you have to be on more Ignore lists than any other poster here.

And I'm not the slightest bit interested in your deranged behind or your desperate need to get attention here by getting into argument after argument with everyone here over absolutely NOTHING. I have no reason to make up a damned thing. Wanna see the stuff I'm talking about, do a fucking search or maybe someone who likes you will clue you in. And we both know that if those are your two options, the search you'll be a-makin'!

Since everyone here knows you have two mo's 1) starting crap with everyone over nothing and 2) always getting the last word no matter how stupid you sound, have at it. 'Cause I ain't got shit else to say to you.

[omega minimo]

82. Why waste all that energy being hostile, rather than back up your outrageous claims?

You can't. That's your problem. Don't try to make it about me.

I'm so glad you feel so righteous in your little cliquey bullshit. Don't got much to stand on your own, though, do you? Oh, except being nasty and pretending someone else is the reason.

[greyl]

84. Guesses and suspicions aren't claims.

Please read for comprehension.

[omega minimo]

89. And who do you think you're fooling?

"Even on DU, some posters who bray the loudest about being "feminists" have said the most disgusting, vile, stupid things to other women who disagreed with them.

"Posters who even have some variation of the word "feminist" in their DU handles have hurled insults at other female posters calling them "c*nts" or telling them to go "suck a c*ck," the type of sexually charged degradation that you're referring to.

"Why these people aren't banned is just one question; how any woman could call herself a feminist and talk like that to other women is the real question. My guess is that any woman who calls herself a "feminist" and uses language like that is probably just using "feminism" as an excuse for not ever getting laid."


"Please read for comprehension," GREYL. You think this is "guesses and suspicions"?"

"Posters who even have some variation of the word "feminist" in their DU handles have hurled insults at other female posters calling them "c*nts" or telling them to go "suck a c*ck."

You can't be serious.

[omega minimo]

90. What a nerve.

And who do you think you're fooling?

"Even on DU, some posters who bray the loudest about being "feminists" have said the most disgusting, vile, stupid things to other women who disagreed with them.

"Posters who even have some variation of the word "feminist" in their DU handles have hurled insults at other female posters calling them "c*nts" or telling them to go "suck a c*ck," the type of sexually charged degradation that you're referring to.

"Why these people aren't banned is just one question; how any woman could call herself a feminist and talk like that to other women is the real question. My guess is that any woman who calls herself a "feminist" and uses language like that is probably just using "feminism" as an excuse for not ever getting laid."


"Please read for comprehension," GREYL. You think the above outrageous claims are "guesses and suspicions"?"

"Posters who even have some variation of the word "feminist" in their DU handles have hurled insults at other female posters calling them "c*nts" or telling them to go "suck a c*ck."

You can't be serious.

[greyl]

97. Go back and re-read. You challenged them on a sentence beginning "My guess is..." nt

[omega minimo]

98. "Please read for comprehension"

That in itself

(nice touch at the end, there) is such a misogynist post. Can you back that up?

Where/when have you ever seen anyone that "hurled insults at other female posters calling them "c*nts" or telling them to go "suck a c*ck," "

Really hard to believe. Once? Twice? Every day? What are you talking about?




That's what I asked and it was clear in the previous post also.


So tired of smart people acting stupid.

[bliss_eternal]

100. hi omega minimo...

....i witnessed this also,(unfortunately). it was swiftly deleted by the moderators.

questions, feel free to pm me.
#23 isn't making this up.

[leftstreet]

96. I've never seen posts like that here

Hmm...the mods must be pretty darn fast

[bliss_eternal]

99. sometimes the mods are...

...quite fast (thankfully).

just because some haven't seen such things personally, doesn't mean such instances did not occur.

[Mimosa]

101. Yes. I got called a 'whore'

On another thread I was called a whore and some other nasty words by somebody I'd never even come across, don't know, who didn't like my opinion.

I haven't posted on DU for a while (I was last active mainly during the primaries and Obama's campaign) and it seems to me the rudeness and raunch factor has been ramped up. This type of bitching at people and making mountains out of molehills is something I'm used to when I venture onto a rightwing board hosted on Yuku.

It's depressing to observe 'liberals' sounding as mean and bellicose as lowbrow rightwingers.

[lbrtbell]

91. Men degrade men with sexuaity, as well

From calling other men "f*ggots" to raping other men in prison, it's sexual attacks, either verbally or literally.

I think it's because neanderthal men like that have nothing going on above their necks, so their only weapon is below the belt.

[bluedawg12]

95. Yes, men insult men by attributing a feminine form, slur

as in *faggot* which removes a certain masculinity by that slur, or they out an out physical dominate, intimidate and place the male in the female roll of recipient, during rape crime.

So M 2 M insults are made by feminizing men.

It's about power and dominance and keeping women in their place, or putting other men in their place by treating them like a woman. It's seriously screwed up.