Why Can't Women Be Bitches?
This is part I of The Facebook Migration Series (old Facebook Notes moved to The Dossier)
Originally written August 4, 2009
As I was thinking about making this particular thought into a Facebook Note, I was not sure if I should touch this topic. I had to remind myself that I am a Crusader of the Truth, at least how I see it. I shall not be afraid to touch any topic in order to make this world a better place. How can things change for the better if the truth is not acknowledged? If this is actually read by anybody, I hope I do not offend anyone. If I did, I am sure you have seen plenty of rated R movies! This should be fun though.
Growing up in the Black community, I can assure you that the word "bitch" is more controversial than Strom Thurmond hosting the BET Awards. There is just something about that word that just upsets many people, especially woman, and especially Black women. Why is this the case? People can get outraged over this little five-letter word. It is to be stricken from use. It should be eliminated from rap lyrics. The word should flat out be casted down into the depths of Hades! I will attempt to discuss this word, why it is so controversial in my opinion, and why there should be a change in the denotation of the word.
The word has several definitions of course. The primary definition that one would find is that a bitch is simply a female dog. Yes, Canis lupus familiaris for the taxonomists out there. There are also other definitions. It can be used as a verb, meaning to complain about something. It can also refer to a "lewd" woman. Of course, the last two are considered "vulgar" or "foul" in dictionaries, but vulgarity leaves a lot to be desired (perhaps another note?). My focus will be on the primary connotation, which is bitch as a female dog.
I am not aware of the exact time and why the movement against this word has started, but it somehow has evolved into a venomous word that could serve significant damage to anyone, especially a woman. Growing up, I heard this word being thrown around casually in different ways. There were times in which women were referred to as one. However, we all knew that this was not something you ever call a women, at least to her face. I have no idea why this is the case. I do not know if anyone has ever thought about why a woman cannot be called one.
One thing that I have learned growing up is that anything us non-upperclass Black males do is always accompanied by a bad reputation, more than any other group. When black males wore Du-Rags, it was somehow gang related, which was pure nonsense. When Black males wanted to wear corn-rolls, it was associated with thuggery. When Black males wanted to wear a pair of "Timbs" (Timberland boots for the squares reading this), clubs had to ban them. When Black males wanted to wear white t-shirts, the NBA created a Dress Code. When the Black males wanted to spend money on elaborate jewelry and cars, they were in poor taste. I guess if they would have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a Rembrandt or a million for a yacht, it would have been in good taste. I could go on forever about how anything the Black male does is held in a negative regard. For myself, everything mentioned above is something I personally do not get into, but I have no problem with them if others choose to wear a white T or a Du-Rag. I actually wear my Du-Rag to keep my hair neat when I sleep at night (what do you know, I'm a thug!). If a guy wants to wear his skinny jeans, more power to him. I won't be squeezing into those damned things.
This leads me to the word bitch again. This is a word probably most prevalently used by Black males, typically in reference to a woman. Since the use of this word is proliferated among Black males, the poor word was destined to be held in negative regard. It was doomed. Perhaps if Hemingway or Fitzgerald ameliorated this word, it would be used poetically today in a positive way.
I am not one to go around using this word towards anyone, due to it being a negative word. I do not want to hurt anyone, but I just want find out why I should not use this word. I am also not trying to lead a group of people out into the streets marching on behalf of the word. I am merely saying that the word does not have any chance of being positive now that Black males use this word.
Perhaps most of us are at least familiar with the legend of how western civilization was started. Abandoned twins Remus and Romulus were left in the wilderness with certain death lurking in the bushes. However, the twins were suckled and raised by wolves. It was these wolves (dogs) that led the twins to a full life, well at least for one of them. The twins would grow up and start a civilization. The two were in conflict over power, Romulus kills Remus, and Rome was born. This is probably mostly, if not all, hyperbole and fiction. Nonetheless, this serves as an indicator of what the dog means to us Westerners. You just do not mess with dogs (see Michael Vick) in this country. They have a huge soft spot in the hearts of Americans. Our existence was made possible by the dog. Dogs represent an extraordinary loyalty. They are man's best friend. In fact, dog is an anagram of God! Is this a coincidence? Maybe or not, who knows. Anyhow, the dog is virtuous, and held in high regard.
With the dog being held in high regard, why aren't women allowed in on the praise? We males constantly refer each other as "dogs." Our dogs, if not our real dogs, are those friends that are able to come through when it matters. These friends are loyal, trustworthy, and will back you up in a bad situation. This is all analogous to real dogs. Are women not capable of these virtues? Of course they are. Therefore, why can't we call women dogs, or bitches since they are female?
In class a long time ago, a discussion about communication was in session. I, as a Black dude, was asked about communication in the Black community, and what cultural differences there were. Since I was in a place of higher learning, I brought up this very topic to ask the very question at hand. Before I could even be heard, I was overtaken by a Black woman in the class who basically slammed me as being the proverbial low class, no manners "nigga." Too bad she did not let me finish. Anyhow, all she knows is that Black men use this word, and that this word is all bad, and nothing else. Did she even know what the real definition is? Maybe. But I am almost 100% sure she did not think about it much. Her sentiment, I believe, is identical to the overwhelming majority of women out there.
Busta Rhymes had a hit single in which the chorus read, "I love my lady. Yep, yep I love my bitch..." If bitch is the official word of the devil, why would Busta use it with the word love? I won't argue whether he is right or wrong. I will say that he uses the word bitch because of all the virtues dogs (bitches if female) possess. His woman is loyal, trustworthy, and can be counted on to fight with him or for him when he needs her. He does not look down on her in the slightest bit, at least it does not appear that way for me. Busta represents a lot of males out there that actually use the word as a form of admiration for a woman (though there are those that do use it in a negative way that I am not down with).
Hilary Clinton recently tried to gain the Democratic ticket to run for the White House. All poor Hilary was doing was trying to win a race just like every other opponent. All the media did was call her everything except a bitch, something that could not be done on the air. This was total nonsense. When Mitt Romney or Dick Cheney go on their tirades, wouldn't it be silly if they were somehow called dogs for their feistiness and zeal? Absolutely. Thus, Hilary being a bitch for simply running in a race is absolutely sexist. This is sexist only because she is called a bitch in a way that is meant to be negative. This is precisely what I am totally against. However, dogs are known to be feisty when something is not right or if they are under attack. With the dog being one notch below divine, why shouldn't she have not been a bitch in a good way? She would be a bitch to bite the leg of those hurting this country. She would be loyal to her constituents. She possessed all the virtues of the dog, making her analogous to a bitch, which was awesome in my eyes.
In my life, I have had so many female friends that have came through for me many times. These women were loyal, trustworthy, and there to fight with and for me. I also have male friends that do the same as my female friends, but these are my dogs and my females aren't? That is not fair! I want my girls to be as virtuous as my male friends, and be allowed to my loyal dogs just like them. There is a double standard. I know I will not win this argument. Seeing the word bitch is automatic for an eye-turner. My only wish is to give what all the great loyal females out there the opportunity to be held in as high regard as we hold our males as dogs. I guess not though, unfortunately.
Originally written August 4, 2009
Growing up in the Black community, I can assure you that the word "bitch" is more controversial than Strom Thurmond hosting the BET Awards. There is just something about that word that just upsets many people, especially woman, and especially Black women. Why is this the case? People can get outraged over this little five-letter word. It is to be stricken from use. It should be eliminated from rap lyrics. The word should flat out be casted down into the depths of Hades! I will attempt to discuss this word, why it is so controversial in my opinion, and why there should be a change in the denotation of the word.
The word has several definitions of course. The primary definition that one would find is that a bitch is simply a female dog. Yes, Canis lupus familiaris for the taxonomists out there. There are also other definitions. It can be used as a verb, meaning to complain about something. It can also refer to a "lewd" woman. Of course, the last two are considered "vulgar" or "foul" in dictionaries, but vulgarity leaves a lot to be desired (perhaps another note?). My focus will be on the primary connotation, which is bitch as a female dog.
I am not aware of the exact time and why the movement against this word has started, but it somehow has evolved into a venomous word that could serve significant damage to anyone, especially a woman. Growing up, I heard this word being thrown around casually in different ways. There were times in which women were referred to as one. However, we all knew that this was not something you ever call a women, at least to her face. I have no idea why this is the case. I do not know if anyone has ever thought about why a woman cannot be called one.
One thing that I have learned growing up is that anything us non-upperclass Black males do is always accompanied by a bad reputation, more than any other group. When black males wore Du-Rags, it was somehow gang related, which was pure nonsense. When Black males wanted to wear corn-rolls, it was associated with thuggery. When Black males wanted to wear a pair of "Timbs" (Timberland boots for the squares reading this), clubs had to ban them. When Black males wanted to wear white t-shirts, the NBA created a Dress Code. When the Black males wanted to spend money on elaborate jewelry and cars, they were in poor taste. I guess if they would have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a Rembrandt or a million for a yacht, it would have been in good taste. I could go on forever about how anything the Black male does is held in a negative regard. For myself, everything mentioned above is something I personally do not get into, but I have no problem with them if others choose to wear a white T or a Du-Rag. I actually wear my Du-Rag to keep my hair neat when I sleep at night (what do you know, I'm a thug!). If a guy wants to wear his skinny jeans, more power to him. I won't be squeezing into those damned things.
This leads me to the word bitch again. This is a word probably most prevalently used by Black males, typically in reference to a woman. Since the use of this word is proliferated among Black males, the poor word was destined to be held in negative regard. It was doomed. Perhaps if Hemingway or Fitzgerald ameliorated this word, it would be used poetically today in a positive way.
I am not one to go around using this word towards anyone, due to it being a negative word. I do not want to hurt anyone, but I just want find out why I should not use this word. I am also not trying to lead a group of people out into the streets marching on behalf of the word. I am merely saying that the word does not have any chance of being positive now that Black males use this word.
Perhaps most of us are at least familiar with the legend of how western civilization was started. Abandoned twins Remus and Romulus were left in the wilderness with certain death lurking in the bushes. However, the twins were suckled and raised by wolves. It was these wolves (dogs) that led the twins to a full life, well at least for one of them. The twins would grow up and start a civilization. The two were in conflict over power, Romulus kills Remus, and Rome was born. This is probably mostly, if not all, hyperbole and fiction. Nonetheless, this serves as an indicator of what the dog means to us Westerners. You just do not mess with dogs (see Michael Vick) in this country. They have a huge soft spot in the hearts of Americans. Our existence was made possible by the dog. Dogs represent an extraordinary loyalty. They are man's best friend. In fact, dog is an anagram of God! Is this a coincidence? Maybe or not, who knows. Anyhow, the dog is virtuous, and held in high regard.
With the dog being held in high regard, why aren't women allowed in on the praise? We males constantly refer each other as "dogs." Our dogs, if not our real dogs, are those friends that are able to come through when it matters. These friends are loyal, trustworthy, and will back you up in a bad situation. This is all analogous to real dogs. Are women not capable of these virtues? Of course they are. Therefore, why can't we call women dogs, or bitches since they are female?
In class a long time ago, a discussion about communication was in session. I, as a Black dude, was asked about communication in the Black community, and what cultural differences there were. Since I was in a place of higher learning, I brought up this very topic to ask the very question at hand. Before I could even be heard, I was overtaken by a Black woman in the class who basically slammed me as being the proverbial low class, no manners "nigga." Too bad she did not let me finish. Anyhow, all she knows is that Black men use this word, and that this word is all bad, and nothing else. Did she even know what the real definition is? Maybe. But I am almost 100% sure she did not think about it much. Her sentiment, I believe, is identical to the overwhelming majority of women out there.
Busta Rhymes had a hit single in which the chorus read, "I love my lady. Yep, yep I love my bitch..." If bitch is the official word of the devil, why would Busta use it with the word love? I won't argue whether he is right or wrong. I will say that he uses the word bitch because of all the virtues dogs (bitches if female) possess. His woman is loyal, trustworthy, and can be counted on to fight with him or for him when he needs her. He does not look down on her in the slightest bit, at least it does not appear that way for me. Busta represents a lot of males out there that actually use the word as a form of admiration for a woman (though there are those that do use it in a negative way that I am not down with).
Hilary Clinton recently tried to gain the Democratic ticket to run for the White House. All poor Hilary was doing was trying to win a race just like every other opponent. All the media did was call her everything except a bitch, something that could not be done on the air. This was total nonsense. When Mitt Romney or Dick Cheney go on their tirades, wouldn't it be silly if they were somehow called dogs for their feistiness and zeal? Absolutely. Thus, Hilary being a bitch for simply running in a race is absolutely sexist. This is sexist only because she is called a bitch in a way that is meant to be negative. This is precisely what I am totally against. However, dogs are known to be feisty when something is not right or if they are under attack. With the dog being one notch below divine, why shouldn't she have not been a bitch in a good way? She would be a bitch to bite the leg of those hurting this country. She would be loyal to her constituents. She possessed all the virtues of the dog, making her analogous to a bitch, which was awesome in my eyes.
In my life, I have had so many female friends that have came through for me many times. These women were loyal, trustworthy, and there to fight with and for me. I also have male friends that do the same as my female friends, but these are my dogs and my females aren't? That is not fair! I want my girls to be as virtuous as my male friends, and be allowed to my loyal dogs just like them. There is a double standard. I know I will not win this argument. Seeing the word bitch is automatic for an eye-turner. My only wish is to give what all the great loyal females out there the opportunity to be held in as high regard as we hold our males as dogs. I guess not though, unfortunately.
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