Why is it ok?

for us to refer to each other as "bitches"?  I know I'm old and conservative, but last time I checked, a bitch was either a female dog, or a derogatory term for a woman.

Seems to me, every time I turn around, someone is talking about "see ya bitches", or "how ya bitches doing?" or the ever present "beotch".

Is it really ok?  I know I only use the term derogatorily, never as an endearment -- and I get tend to get offended when the term is used to refer to me as an endearment.

If it really is just me then ignore this thread.  I'm not a feminist in most forms, but to me that we don't do ourselves any favors but referring to each other as bitches and ho's (how do you pluralize HO? without reverting to whore?)

I'm not a fan of the ubiquitous use of the word bitch.  I avoid it when possible.  In fact, I avoid gendered insults in general.

I agree- I would be very offended if I were referred to that way, but lets go one step further and I ask.... what is with everyone using the F word.  When did it become okay?

I don't really hear people referring to others as "bitches" often.  When I'm hanging out with friends, especially at Goth Night, we'll occassionally call eachother a slut or a bitch, like if one throws water on another or something, but not as a greeting.

I don't care for people to call me a bitch, even if I am acting rude, or a ho, or a whore, or a slut, or whatever, and I don't care to hear others calling people those words either.  I consider this to be sort of in relation to the whole N-word and it's variations issue.  It's okay for certain people to say certain variations, but if you're not one of those certain people and you try to say something, you're going to get your ass beat.  It's something I totally don't understand or pretend I do.

I don't use the word bitch as an endearment. I've occasionally been playful with close friends or family and been 'slightly pissed/entertained' at them, and said something like "Oh you bitch!" but it's not a common place thing.

I use 'ladies', 'girlies', or 'women' when referring to my friends.

My fav phrase is "How you lovely ladies doing?"

I have a feind who insists on being called the bitch! I really don't get it its like she wants to put n this front of herself to be know as tougher than she is cause shes not a bitch at all in the derogatory term.

I associate it with popularity wanting to be like a popular skinny bitches from high school as its cool to be that way.

yeah, I don't get it :/ I don't even know why it is so popular. Probably got mentioned on some celebrity television show. Does anyone know?

Glad to see I'm not alone -- I brought it up because I passed two journal entries today where the authors closed out with a "see ya bitches" or "bring it on, bitches"

The increasing prevalence of the F word in "polite" company (read: in public where anyone can hear) bothers me, too -- not sure when it became a regular adjective/interjection, and no longer curse word

 

I don't know what the fuss is about honestly. Being called a bitch is the least of my worries.

People's words don't tend to upset me very much. What you say and how you think is a reflection of you, not me, even when it's about me. Your perception and how you choose to communicate speaks to you and your character.

Bitch, the C word, the P word, the F word; eh whatever I don't care. I wouldn't say them in front of someone's kids, but if that's how you speak let 'er fly

Yeah, I second the prevalence of the F word. I was in a WiFi cafe the other day, and heard 3-5 college aged people talking about sex and saying the F word a lot. meh :/ not my cup of delicious ice coffee

I agree with spiro about just taking it in stride(I think this is what he/she meant). There is another thread about "That Guy" and some of the things mentioned are just people being people; though I think we can take a little responsibilty and not use profanities out in public.

yeah sorry, I curse like a sailor, mostly cause I feel we empower certain words to be hateful. But by overusing certain phrases/words we take away the shock value, thus the power to offend. In actuality, everything comes down to tone. One's tone can make any word/phrase offensive and likewise can make it harmless. But that's just me. If someone is truly offended, I do tone it down to be respectful.  I just like to joke and make light of things. I'm use to being bitchy, so I don't mind the word.

The younger girls use that phrase at work all of the time.  It annoys me.

I can call myself a bitch, that is fine, but I don't use it as a friendly greeting.  It annoys me.

Where I'm from the c word is a term interchangable with mate. I use bitches as a statement of annoyance but not as a greeting. As a greeting it's tacky.

Edit: oh and keeping in mind that I think it is tacky while I have what is probably the worst potty mouth you will ever come across - this isn't me just saying that, it's a true fact and most people comment on it all the time.

This makes me think of the Dr Phil episode I was watching yesterday. The psychotic husband would call his wife a lesbian for saying things like "love ya, you sexy bitch" to her friends.

Hey coach, nice to see ya!

Honestly, I can't help but cringe and can't help but get tense when people swear around me.  I personally do not think it's ok but I know people are going to do it anyways.  It is a reflection of them, but I still don't enjoy having to listen to it so often =\

This morning I was sitting in the commons at school and a group of boys were sitting around calling each other that.  I mean as if it already didn't make sense that girls call each other that, but guys calling each other that? haha

Needless to say, my shoulders were up to my ears by time I left for class =P

I don't hear this, maybe since I work at a school and we don't swear. I always thought it was a terrible thing to call someone and it someone called me one we wouldnt' be talking again.

I greet my friends by calling them bitches sometimes.  They are males though.  I'm not sure if we're talking female to female only here.  One of my friends, Richard, is now called Bitchard most of the time (or Bitchy Richy).

I call my guy friends bitch too. but I won't call a female a bitch.

However, i don't mind someone intimate to me call me bitch. Like my bf calls me "my bitch". i don't mind at all, as long as I know he didn't mean it that way...it's just a naughty joke.

I use the term in reference to perceived weakness or timidity.  One of my buddies (regardless of gender) wants to back out of a drinking game early?  They're being a little bitch.  I have an employee who's complaining too much?  They're bitching.  My husband's being sweeter than usual and I'm worrying that he's making up for something I just haven't found out about yet?  He's my bitch.  I honestly can't remember the last time I thought of it as a gender-specific word.  Furthermore, I wouldn't use it with anyone I don't know well enough to know that they wouldn't be offended.

I also think it's one of those things where reclaiming a word takes away some of the derogatory associations.  Not too long ago when Tina Fey was guest-hosting on Saturday Night Live she and Amy Poehler did a bit on Weekend Update talking about how they don't mind being called a bitch, 'cause it takes a bitch to get things done.

Just my two cents.

I also think it's one of those things where reclaiming a word takes away some of the derogatory associations. 

This is what I see going on with the word bitch and the F word. I've seen quite an uprise in the use of both terms over my life, especially the last 5 years or so. You even hear people joking about someone laying on the F-bomb.

I worked in a factory from 2002 - 2006 and there were groups of females, myself included, who would refer to each other as bitch or beotch, etc. Some of the guys would use the terms with themselves. It was very easy to distinguish when someone was using the term in a friendly way and in a derogatory way.

I cuss a lot. It doesn't bother me to hear cuss words. I don't understand why people are offended by just overhearing cuss words that aren't aimed at them. I do understand someone being offended by being cussed at or being cussed out.

I agree that cursing is not polite. It can be a sign of a lack of vocabulary. It can be a defense mechanism to keep people away or to appear tough. It can also relay intense emotion.

I don't think it's that bad, my bf and I call each other 'bish'. However I don't like swearing in public, such as when I'm on the bus and this person on their phone behind me is swearing like nothing - it's rude, plus I don't want to hear your complaints/fights (excessive cell phone use period is annoying, have your conversations at home).