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Interesting contrast
The word “nigger” is bleeped out in television broadcasts (at least it was in a clip shown on a cable news show I saw the other day).
The word “bitch” is used routinely in television shows now, often as a laugh line.
Not meaning to pull a Ferraro, but does this reflect something about our culture that we refuse to face honestly?
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Cross-posted to Random Fate.
6 Responses to “Interesting contrast”
Jack,
Yes.
When I hear the word 'bitch,' I think of a colleague of my husband's, who was a business manager, who had a sign on her desk that read:
Boys,
I'm
Taking
Charge
Here
That word does tend to show up when women assert power, I liked her proactive “get over it” retort.
Now that you mention it, Jack, I think you are on to something.
Similarly, did the uproar over Imus extend to the last word of his comment or more the hyphenated one preceding?
I'm not so sure there is anything here….
The “n word” is a derogative work referring to a whole group of people based on entirely on race, with no distinction. The “b word” is used to describe negative traits exhibited in one's personality. Certainly it's a derogatory label, but if someone calls someone else a bitch, it's due to the way that person is choosing to behave.
I'd never use that n-word. But there are some people who I would call a bitch and even those people I wouldn't call them a bitch all the time (well maybe there are a couple full-time bitches I know).
But then again I don't generally go around calling anyone names and my use of “bitch” is sparse.
StockBoy's take on it is interesting, and similar to mine (I think- I'm still mulling it over.)
Along those lines, it's occurred to me (in observing the theater of identity politics that is the Democratic primary this year) that there's actually more legitimacy (to a degree, of course) to sexism than there is to racism. I can't emphasize the 'degree' part enough, because it definitely shouldn't be taken too far, but I think we can all acknowledge that there are actual biological differences that affect personality between the genders, while the same is not true for the races. I think privately, people will speak of the differences of working in a female environment vs. a male one, and so on. (for those who don't know it, I'm female myself, so I feel that I know of what I speak.) There's really no room for that kind of discussion at all on the issue of race though because there's no biological difference between the races and anyone who thinks otherwise is definitely a bigot.
I agree with StockboySF too (I am a white male if it matters.) When someone uses the N word, there is no doubt they are insulting the entire race. When someone uses the B word, perhaps they hate all women, but more likely they hate that particular woman, and as likely as not, it is being spoken by a woman, without hesitation, even in front of males.
There is another word derogatory to women that is perhaps equivalent to the N word, that I am sure would be bleeped out if used at all.