Yeah, and my point, at least, is that the choice of words for expressing nonspecific contempt, anger, or frustration says something about our culture, along with our choice of how to use them ("bitch" occupies an interesting position, because it has different connotations for men and women). Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I'm not convinced of that.
Fine, how about pussy, sissy, girly, effeminate, or any of those other words? Hell, what about all of the words around "douche?" "You're awful because you clean vaginas?" How is that a good insult, unless you're devalorizing female anatomy?
They're all negative. I can think of only one negative dude-word (not counting prick or dick--I figure that those are kind of equal with c*** and t***), and that's butch--which is only used on women, anyway. If anyone can think of more, then please, be my guest and prove me wrong.
Most drama is geared towards women. And yeah, I guess since anything that you don't read or watch is completely irrelevant (the world revolves around you, after all) I'll need a list of what you *do* read and watch before I try again.
And there's a world of difference between calling a woman a bitch and writing a goddamned essay about using punishments and rewards to get them to do things on cue.
I'm not saying anything I don't read or watch is completely irrelevant. I'm saying that I can't speak to it, because it's not within my experience. My experience with media says that the portrayal of women is overwhelmingly negative. I rely on my experience, just as you do yours. If you've got great counter-examples, cool. I'd love to watch 'em.
This is not some dialogue where I subjugate you. This is a dialogue where we figure things out together and, hopefully, we both learn things--though I'll admit that I'm feeling kind of defensive because I'm the only woman in this conversation.
*shrug*
Whatever.
Anyway, here's the link.
The creator of Dilbert speaks about why you don't argue with women.
Oh, and I see you one Cosmo and raise you one
PUA forum. I also raise you the Mars and Venus book series, which is basically the most popular series of books on relationships, as well as Ladder Theory and all of fucking Evo Psych. And all those goddamned articles about how women need to be like-men-but-not-too-much-like-men-in the workplace, and all of those fucking PMS medication ads that emphasize being nice and pretty for your boyfriend--and, hell, all those other ads that say the same thing rather than, what, "You're going to like the way you look" or whatever the catchphrase is for dude-marketed stuff.
Sure, those aren't all animal-training references, but I thought I'd put them in as I remembered them.
Yep, I'd say that 'bitch' is a similar case to using 'gay' as a negative adjective, as discussed in that other thread. Whilst its etymology makes it not-terribly-nice, to say the least, by now it's become clichéd enough to simply be another word that people use without considering the deeper meaning behind.
It hurts. It isn't simply another word. Mendacious? Sure. That's from the word mendicant, which is a specific kind of beggar. Everyone knows very well that a bitch is a woman. There is no male equivalent, just like there's no straight equivalent for gay and no neurotypical equivalent for ass-burger or schizo.
So... no, I disagree.