Reply #268: Thanks for posting this Eloriel.

[wickerwoman]

I just found these threads and I regret not having the time or energy to read them fully- but I've followed every other thread on this topic and I imagine it's running along the same lines.

I agree with you 100%.

The word "bitch" is a control mechanism that tells women if they don't say what men want them to say they can be written off and ignored. Like "fag" it is frequently used to define the limits of acceptable behavior for different genders. I would hope a democratic messageboard would be able to move beyond such a mindset.

I think if a headline like "George Bush is a fag" is beyond the pale, then "Barbara Bush is a bitch" should be likewise. It's not about the evidence that proves they are a fag or a bitch- it's the use of these terms to castigate those who step outside gender boundarys that we all recognize as archaic.

And it can't be stated enough that this is not about banning a word. It's about banning a word used in a specific (historically offensive) context.