Why is "cunt" considered to be the worst word in t

<<Because the thing men have the most contempt for in the world is that particular part of the female anatomy and what it is used for.>>
<<I guess being a man you have not paid to[o] much attention to feminism. And I guess as a gay man you don't view your sexual partners' bodies with contempt since yours is the same, even though in gay relationships men can play a similar sexual role to a woman.>>

Lili: I’m sorry that I was not able to get back to you earlier. I was a bit busy and all with the holidays. (I do hope everyone’s holiday was well.) Lili, it is lucky that Damian hasn’t happened upon your posts, as you seem very much the stereotype of what he views as feminist. I have been spending a great deal of time trying to convince him that not all feminists are misandrists. But you come along spouting drivel about men hating vaginas and me knowing nothing about feminism because I am a man. Truly, you do feminism no favors. What is essential in your statements thus far is the exact thing you accuse men of being, sexist. (e.g. “I guess being a man you have not paid to[o] much attention to feminism” And “the thing men have the most contempt for in the world is that particular part of the female anatomy”).

Actually, Lili, I have paid attention to feminism. I paid attention to feminism when I double majored in English and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies during my undergraduate education. I paid attention to feminism when the head of the Women’s Studies department approached me to be a presenter at the annual “No Limits Conference” two years in a row. I paid attention to feminism when I volunteered every year for my Universities Women’s Center and when I wrote articles for the campus newspaper on the issues surrounding violence against women. I paid attention to feminism when I was taking my History of Sexuality in American course and my African-American Women Writers course and my Women in Contemporary Society Course and my Women in Poetry Course and my Lesbian Literature course and my Human Sexuality course and My Gender and Sexuality in Shakespeare’s England course etc. etc. In short, not as a man or a woman or a gay man or a lesbian but as a human, I have paid a lot of attention to feminism.

I have paid enough attention to feminism to know that the particular view you are espousing is representative of a type of feminism commonly held in the 1970’s, which has since been largely rejected by most scholars and feminists, yet clings to a few remaining representatives like the ugly stepsister it is. Like those who hold the Michigan Women’s Festival every year, they are a bigoted bunch, if ever I have met one.

<<Actually, Lili, I have paid attention to feminism. I paid attention to feminism when I double majored in English and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies during my undergraduate education. I paid attention to feminism when the head of the Women’s Studies department approached me to be a presenter at the annual “No Limits Conference” two years in a row. I paid attention to feminism when I volunteered every year for my Universities Women’s Center and when I wrote articles for the campus newspaper on the issues surrounding violence against women. I paid attention to feminism when I was taking my History of Sexuality in American course and my African-American Women Writers course and my Women in Contemporary Society Course and my Women in Poetry Course and my Lesbian Literature course and my Human Sexuality course and My Gender and Sexuality in Shakespeare’s England course etc. etc. In short, not as a man or a woman or a gay man or a lesbian but as a human, I have paid a lot of attention to feminism. >>


What a fag!

Agreed, Wintereis. As a woman I can say without hesitation that I find the majority of modern feminism to be complete nonesense that does women much more harm than good. I know someone's going to call me an anti-feminist now, and calmly try to explain to me that I have been duped by society into accepting a lesser role, but that's fine. Most women I know have as much comtempt for "feminazi's" as our friend Damian, and that's saying a lot.

Whoa, when did feminism become a dirty word? I am very much a feminist, and find Damian's rants on the subject fairly ironic -- for someone who wants his rights and social tolerance as a gay man and no doubt knows the prejudice and persecution often associated with his orientation, you'd think he'd be a little more sympathetic to women who stick up for their rights as well, rather than choosing to lump them all in with some extreme stereotype that does no justice to the full range of the issue.

<<Agreed, Wintereis. As a woman I can say without hesitation that I find the majority of modern feminism to be complete nonesense that does women much more harm than good. I know someone's going to call me an anti-feminist now, and calmly try to explain to me that I have been duped by society into accepting a lesser role, but that's fine. Most women I know have as much comtempt for "feminazi's" as our friend Damian, and that's saying a lot.>>

<<Whoa, when did feminism become a dirty word? I am very much a feminist, and find Damian's rants on the subject fairly ironic -- for someone who wants his rights and social tolerance as a gay man and no doubt knows the prejudice and persecution often associated with his orientation, you'd think he'd be a little more sympathetic to women who stick up for their rights as well, rather than choosing to lump them all in with some extreme stereotype that does no justice to the full range of the issue.>>


Actually, I very much consider myself a feminist. One doesn't have to be a female to believe that women should have equal rights. At its core, even definitional, feminism is the belief that women should be afforded the same rights, privileges, and obligations as men. Yet, there are many different forms of feminism. Sometimes, as any ideology--especially one with a political agenda--,it can go wrong. In some part, Lili is correct. Language can definitely have an effect on how we view certain groups. Only she seemed to think that men, seemingly all men, play an active and conscious role in the systematic oppression of women. When, in reality, sexism is so institutionalized it can be nearly impossible to avoid. Both men and women are complicit in the maintenance of the patriarchy. (This really goes for all groups within the power strata.)

She stated that cunt was a bad word because men hate the female anatomy. One only reaches this conclusion by ignoring many others. Someone earlier stated that Christianity is largely the reason why cunt is a bad word. This, in fact, is very true. Actually, it is all the Abrahamic religions and their distaste for the body, not just women's bodies. It is not only cunt but also cock, fuck, dick, pussy, shit, ass, piss etc. that are viewed negatively. And, though men have long been dominant in these religions, there came a time when women actually played the primary role in maintaining these standards which treated the body with distain.

Uriel: Yes, it is counter intuitive that Damian dislikes feminism as a whole. I don't like some extreme forms, but gay rights and women's rights have been and will always be closely linked. The book, "Homophobia, A Weapon of Sexism" does a good job of examining interwoven relationship between gender, sex, and sexuality in contemporary western culture.

I'm a woman and I think feminism is kind of stupid. Most of the vocal feminists I see these days are such rabid creatures that I don't want to associate myself with them. I think woman ARE different from men, and I don't need one group of feminists to tell me that they're actually superior, and another that we're not different at all. Equal pay - right on! As for everything else - there is enough choice as it is.

I was referring to the rabid, extreme feminists, commonly referred to as "feminazis" not progressives with an actual heads on their shoulders.

<Uriel: Yes, it is counter intuitive that Damian dislikes feminism as a whole.>

It's simply that Damian can talk, but he can't think.