What does BITCH mean anyway?

When you hear a woman call another woman a bitch it is most often thrown out as an insult. When you hear a man call a woman a bitch, again an insult. When a man calls another man a bitch, again it is an insult. So, what does this word "bitch" really mean?

It is a loaded word that is specified towards females. It has become more accepted now a days however, and may not always have the sting as the word "fag" when aimed towards gay men and women or have the same history that comes with the word "nigger" when aimed towards a black man or woman. Even so, "bitch" is a word that is meant to cut down, to devalue, to strip away.

I've noticed for many years that when a man wishes to emasculate another man often a joke may suggest that the other party is either feminine or homosexual. Why do some choose to make such remarks? Because in the minds of some suggesting that one is like a woman or is gay is considered to be a sign of weakness.

Well, just as some black individuals choose to throw around the word "nigga", so do some members of the gay community attempt to accept the word "fag" and so do some women attempt to embrace "bitch".



Some women embrace the word in attempts to tweak the meaning, as if "bitch" could equate to a state of power and ambition.



There is even a popular feminist magazine named Bitch.

My issue is that reclaiming language thus far has not worked. I do not see how using racist, homophobic and sexist language has increased awareness, decreased oppression and influenced newer generations in positive ways.

Sometimes it seems that much of the language used today is used without thinking.

I do not refer to anyone as a bitch when angry or in a humorous laid back manner. I think that is lazy. Just as I do not tolerate the common phrase "that's so gay!", I do not tolerate the word bitch, no matter how it is used.

It may seem seemingly insignificant to argue against something that is so common and mainstream and perhaps small, but that is exactly the thinking that causes issues to be overlooked. Before you know it a mole hill has turned into a mountain.

So, if you find a woman or man for that matter to be disagreeable why refer to them as a "bitch"? Isn't there more intelligent language out there? And isn't there a more constructive and mature way to deal with anger? I think so.