On-line Etymology Dictionary "slut"

[ismnotwasm]

2. Exactly

I like the history of words: word evolve and change, reflect "cultural freight" in the words of one of my favorite authors. Slut really hasn't changed too much -- it solidified into a derogatory term toward a woman's sexuality. And, as I pointed out elsewhere, it's one of the favorite words in describing pornography movies. A placeholder term so you know what women are, bad, nasty, sexually promiscuous, not worthy of concern or respect.

To even contemplate that words have no power (sticks and stones?) is ignorant. Or perhaps you see the cheery picking of the value of words-- this word is bad, this word is ok. Or the premise that it's intent that matters not word(s) themselves.

This is patent nonsense. People are intrigued, fascinated, horrified, outraged by words every day. They are very powerful.

I was gentle with the slut walk movement; I understood the intent, but I also understood it couldn't survive, not with every purchaser or pornography seeing the word in it's common usage. Not with people still naming women sluts if their sexuality was expressed-- sometimes women will call each other sluts as terms of endearment, which can't be totally comfortable.

But I'm not the language police, what bothers me is the bullshit surrounding words like slut. Someone wants to say it-- say it, but don't pretend you don't know what you're saying, unless someone is really that abysmally stupid. I don't think the users are stupid, they have to know they are probably hurting someone, or that they are using a word that has caused, and continues to cause great harm-- but there you go.

And the "anti-PC" police? Don't you EVER tell ME what to be or not to be offended by. Fuck. that. Fucking hypocrites.