What words are allowed/not allowed on DU about women?

[efhmc]

What words can we labeled as sexist without repercussions?

[NJCher]

1. what are you asking?

What derogatory words you can use for women?

Why bring gender into it? Just use a word that's applicable to either men or women. Like buffoon. Buffoon fits MTG very well

[efhmc]

6. Called down for saying someone should not call a woman a bitch.

i thought that was a given that one did not do here.

[niyad]

7. You were saying someone should not call a woman a bitch and

somebody disagreed with you? Am I understanding you correctly?

[willamette]

9. I usually chip in

I usually chip in with my solution for all generalized derogatory words for women: "ball sack." My 30 something friend substitutes in "scrotum," or "scrotums" when answering inappropriate cat calls. As in, "Hey, scrotums!" If nothing else, this calls the inappropriateness glaringly into the spotlight. I haven't come up with a non-gender-reliant term yet, but I am always alert to possibilities.

So, I try (not always successfully) to show my preferred wording, rather than correcting theirs. I restate. A big problem is that some women feminists use "bitch" and other women-putdowns, in order to contest them, or to reclaim them, as has been done with "crone." It is an uphill battle, but one that is worth waging, I think.

It seems like several of the replies in these comments implied that you were trying to defend your use of the offensive term, rather than trying to curtail its use by someone else. I'm trying to retrain myself to say, "I find that offensive," rather than "That is offensive (don't use it)." Also a hard climb.

edit: grammar, parenthetical

[efhmc]

10. Best 3 out of three: understanding the problem, good advise on responses to the use of negative words and correction of

who said/wrote the word in question (and it was not me). I thank you for taking the time to digest and write a response. It is appreciated.

[willamette]

12. And I appreciate your courage in putting up the post.

Did you know that "spinster" was the original independent woman? It was a woman who had income from spinning, and thus wasn't dependent on being married to survive. Funny (not) how it came to be derisive.

[whathehell]

15. You might want to ask that question of

the many here (mostly men) who use derogatory words for women instead of what you're describing as gender neutral insults..I agree with you completely by the way, but, as writer Katha Pollitt has observed:
"Misogyny is the last acceptable bigotry of the Left"
I find myself fighting it here a lot

[onecaliberal]

2. It's not worth it.

We are all irate.

[whathehell]

16. I think it's worth it..It's a matter of respect.

and I don't think it has anything to do with a general feeling of irritation..I've been on DU for over 15 years and it's always been an issue -- one that comes up regularly, but seems to remain unresolved

[TwilightZone]

3. If the question has to be asked, it's probably best to refrain.

[EarlG]

4. Are you asking for a list?

DU doesn't work like that. Any time you use a word to describe a woman that other people here might consider sexist, you run the risk of having that post removed by a Jury. There isn't a list of words you can use and a list of words you can't, so my advice would be to err on the side of caution and try to avoid any sexist language altogether. It's really shouldn't be hard to do.

[efhmc]

11. I was actually shocked that the use of the word "bitch" was ok on DU. Thank you for the clarification.

[EmmaLee E]

13. I've never liked "bitch" but I recently read "slut"

which I find loathsome.

When I said so, and asked why was used, I was greeted with the response "Welcome to DU"

[MOMFUDSKI]

5. If you have to inquire about the nitty gritty

you are on the wrong site. We are an accepting bunch here not looking for slights.

[whathehell]

14. I disagree..We're not supposed to be "accepting" of

sexist slurs like "bitch" and "slut"...Maybe it's you who are on the wrong site.

[penttbom]

17. Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice

You're not allowed to say anything ABOUT women, unless it's how strong, brave and empowered they are in the face of historical and modern day oppression. Anything short of that is misogyny because everyone knows women are sugar and spice and everything nice. They never lie, nor at a loss for words - always strong capable and independent. Just ignore those Post-It notes on their bathroom mirrors. Don't say ANYTHING ever about the Post-It notes.

[whathehell]

18. Nope, you've misinterpreted.

One's allowed to say ANYTHING about a woman one would say about a man, provided it addresses her actions or character, things she's responsible for, rather than her gender, which she's not.
Like race, gender is a Condition of Birth. If we criticize a Black person, we don't call them the 'N word' do we? No. Similarly, if we dislike a Gay person, we don't call them the 'F word'.. The same principle applies to women.
If we don't like a woman's words or actions, we're free to call them "creeps", "idiots", or any other gender neutral insult.. We do NOT call them "bitches" "cunts" or any of the innumerable gender slurs to which women are subjected.