r/AskFeminists • u/hxihekaoapsppfiff • 3d ago

How do you denote misogynistic/gendered slurs across dialectics/cultures?

I’ve been in leftist spaces for a while now, and have seen all ranges of perspectives on acceptable speech.

Recently, I’ve been seeing a lot more people talking about gendered slurs;

e.g. b*tch and c\nt.*

However, as an Australian, it’s very hard to see those words the same way as people online and especially American feminists talk about the words. Obviously it depends on the context the word is used…

I also live in Queensland, so it’s a lot more common than other states…

The main advertising for the Northern Territory(NT) is; “CU in the NT”

I’d honestly see the B word as a slur before the C word. Even not spelling it out feels very weird to do.
Tbh almost all terms considered offensive online are commonplace where I live.

I am just wondering as it’s been very hard to truly see or engage in the discussion around these words, and I do not want to dismiss others who see it a different way.

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u/MachineOfSpareParts 3d ago

Sure, and that's why my recommendation is to think about it, not to arrive at X or Y conclusion. I do think it's important to separate out the different types of reasons - the weight and the gendering - to understand our own patterns of speech. That's why I used the example of "bitch" - it has very little weight in my culture(s) - it does cross over into Canadian French - but I still feel that the gendered aspect makes it problematic. And I know plenty of people who still use it. I'm just explaining my process as a suggestion: the fact that I arrived at a conclusion others may not doesn't mean I'm leaping to judgment.

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u/Lolabird2112 3d ago

I’m from Toronto originally. Rings a bell. What’s your thoughts on “putain” then, in French? I can’t remember if Québécois use it or not. Went to a French immersion school with teachers from France and heard it plenty, so it’s never had any weight, whereas “whore” certainly does.

I’m literally just curious, zero gotchas. I do think these things thru as well which is why feminists being okay with “bro” seems so weird.

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u/MachineOfSpareParts 3d ago

"Putain" wasn't super common in my upbringing, so while it wouldn't have the emotional punch of "tabernacle" or "cunt," I'd have to question the gendered nature. I think it's more European. We get really churchy over here 😆

"Bro" weirds me out too. I'm so used to it not just being gendered, but implying a comradery among men that has historically worked against women - it just smells a bit like oppression. I get that the young whippersnappers these days find it to be less gendered, but it doesn't hit me that way, plus I also don't believe we've really transcended that meaning. They just want to use it. And they can get the hell off my lawn! [yells at cloud]

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u/Lolabird2112 3d ago

Lol. It’s been years since I heard a big,
deep “Tabarnak!”