Reply #126: My two cents as a woman who has considered herself a

[RhodaGrits]

feminist for way over 30 yrs (remember the ERA bracelets?).

I vote against banning bitch, bitch slap etc.

Yes, I find them *very* offensive and I get annoyed like slinkerwink when I hear Ann Coulter etc called a bitch or worse. I do think bitch slap is a term to be avoided because of its reference to violence against women. (And don't get my going on the c-word but that's a personal hangup.) But, I have from time to time referred to a man as a prick and, for that reason, I KNOW that this stuff is sexist. I don't use "prick" unintentionally - I'm striking at his gender as an insult. I grew up in a household with a sexist father who had me seeking out feminist literature at an early age. My brothers' worst insult to me or anyone of any gender was "you girl". I think that a lot homophobia is because some men can't understand why any man would want to act or look at all feminine - because they believe women are inferior.

But I believe free speech trumps my "annoyance" and free speech is a liberty that means we have to put up with a*holes.

I would prefer that these and similar terms be banned from subject lines in the name of civility.

If I find that someone has a pattern of using language that I find offensive, the ignore feature works nicely if it comes to that. Language reveals their biases and I would rather know them and choose myself whether their thoughts contribute to the overall dialog or not.