Do you use gendered insults for the opposite gender

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The problem with genderless insults is that they tend to have less impact. I mean, I imagine a woman would find it laughable if I called her a jerk/douchebag/asshole instead of bitch/cunt.

But I could get behind banning the word bitch because of what it implies for men and women when used on a man.

Cunt though, I don't see the problem, and apparently british/australian people agree. I imagine that saying it to a dude or chick would have the same meaning, just a vulgar way to call someone a jerk. I'd like for it to be acceptable to use as it rolls off the tongue a lot nicer than asshole.
 
I remember when "fuck" used to be censored on gaf. It was a glorious day when that was lifted.

Did anyone post the ending monologue to Team America yet?
 
depends on the situation, if you really want to insult someone just use whatever term the recipient will find most hurtful. that's the point of insults, right?

it doesn't matter if you believe your insults, what matters is that the recipient believes.
 
Opiate said:
First, a lot of those words would be bannable; if you'd like to refer to someone else in this thread as a "dick and an asshole," you're welcome to try and see what happens.

Context matters.

Second, I regret to inform most here that Devolution has the right of this (although Devolution is not always right, don't worry). The word "bitch" has specific connotations which make it especially prickly to work with. If I call a girl a "dick," I'm not suggesting she has man-like qualities which make her inferior to other women, I'm saying she's a mean person. However, if I call a man a "bitch," it is very frequently intended to imply that he is weak (e.g. if some guy complains about hard work, one might tell him to "stop being a little bitch.") or overly emotional, or effimininate in other ways, and to imply that this is bad.

This does not mean that "bitch" can never be used; again, context matters. If you are mad at the outcome of a sports game and post "son of a bitch! We almost won!" You will not be banned -- but it is an especially thorny word to use, relative to the other examples given like "jerk" or "asshole." So I'd be careful when using it. That's all.

This of course means that the rules are not hard, fast, clean, and simple to understand. We know this. We are trusting in your ability to be an adult and reasonably understand when a word is contextually inappropriate and when it isn't, and you're relying on us to know the difference. None of us are perfect; it's possible someone will be unustly banned on occassion (And we do rescind bans), while otherwise reasonable people sometimes say unreasonable things, but strict, simple codes of conduct are much worse, in my opinion. They assume you're incapable of understanding nuanced rules and provides an easy out for juvenile people who quickly figure out how to not technically break the rules, but still be an enormous jerk. If the rules are hard and fast, we can't moderate those people, unless they are breaking those rules in a clear, precise manner.
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If someone is acting in a whining manner and you call them a "b!tch," then aren't you implying that whining is an effeminate quality?

If "d!ck" is slang for "penis" and you call someone a "d!ck" because they're being mean, does it not imply in some sense that men are mean, that being mean is a masculine quality? Isn't that offensive to males?

For this reason, I don't think that calling people "d!cks" is any more appropriate than calling them "b!tches."
 
Bombadil said:
For this reason, I don't think that calling people "d!cks" is any more appropriate than calling them "b!tches."
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I do, actually, agree that calling people "dicks" is a potentially problematic comment on the conventional idea of masculinity, but sauce for the goose isn't sauce for the gander here, if you know what I mean. The history of discrimination against women and for men is relevant to the question of what needs to be policed more aggressively.
 
Koopakiller said:
man up feels offensive, sack up, not so much
it's too ridiculous to be offensive
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Frankly "man up" (and all the connotations it has) and the idea that you need to tell another person to act in a particular way because you disapprove of their reaction (or it doesn't fit your perceived standard of acceptable behavior for a man) always kind of struck me as childish. Sort of a throw back idea for behavior based on very narrow stereotypes of how "real men don't cry" and related tropes.

I mean, it's fine if you are personally a "manly man" or whatever, it just seems odd to try to get others to behave within your personal expectations for conduct.
 
pigeon said:
I do, actually, agree that calling people "dicks" is a potentially problematic comment on the conventional idea of masculinity, but sauce for the goose isn't sauce for the gander here, if you know what I mean. The history of discrimination against women and for men is relevant to the question of what needs to be policed more aggressively.
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Then there will never be true equality among genders or people of different ethnicity. If you keep thinking about how you can make up for the past, then you're going to create double standards.

Observe this atrocious statement.

kdt1v.jpg
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Yes, historically, women have been oppressed. But over-protection of one gender is unfair.

And somehow it seems okay for white people to get picked on.
 
Bombadil said:
Then there will never be true equality among genders or people of different ethnicity. If you keep thinking about how you can make up for the past, then you're going to create double standards.
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There already is a double standard, which we have to actively be aware of in order to make the right choices. We don't live on a blank slate, we live in a world where things have already happened and we need to take them into account. I would be more concerned about the constant suggestion that reverse discrimination will take over society if it had ever once happened ever.

That person seems like a crazo to me. I'm not sure what your point is there. Did you want me to find you a similar screenshot about women being raped, to prove there isn't a "double standard"? I'm not responsible for people with crazy beliefs saying crazy things even if they happen to sound vaguely like the things I'm saying.
 
was not aware of the recent increase in the severity of the word bitch. will tread carefully while finding the whole situation ridiculous.

I'm fast getting to the state of grumbly old man who thinks this hyper political correctness is getting out of hand I think.

man up feels offensive, sack up, not so much
it's too ridiculous to be offensive
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oh god. REALLY.

And somehow it seems okay for white people to get picked on.
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as I white person I feel deeply unhappy about this. Oh wait, no I don't because who gives a shit.
 
pigeon said:
There already is a double standard, which we have to actively be aware of in order to make the right choices. We don't live on a blank slate, we live in a world where things have already happened and we need to take them into account. I would be more concerned about the constant suggestion that reverse discrimination will take over society if it had ever once happened ever.

That person seems like a crazo to me. I'm not sure what your point is there. Did you want me to find you a similar screenshot about women being raped, to prove there isn't a "double standard"? I'm not responsible for people with crazy beliefs saying crazy things even if they happen to sound vaguely like the things I'm saying.
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I wasn't suggesting that one day reverse-discrimination was going to occur. I don't think that. I'm saying that because discrimination of particular groups existed in the past, our efforts to create equality in the present have been hindered because we feel that certain words are "worse" or more offensive than others.

Although we're not living in a blank slate, I as an individual was born as a blank slate. We're tethered down by the actions of our forefathers. I think that's a little unfair. I still observe PC rules. I don't use the word b!tch often, if at all, because I've been conditioned to think it's offensive. On the other hand I have called people dicks. It is only for the purposes of this thread, that I'm examining it.

as I white person I feel deeply unhappy about this. Oh wait, no I don't because who gives a shit.
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Come on, man. I didn't mean it that way.
 
pigeon said:
There already is a double standard, which we have to actively be aware of in order to make the right choices. We don't live on a blank slate, we live in a world where things have already happened and we need to take them into account. I would be more concerned about the constant suggestion that reverse discrimination will take over society if it had ever once happened ever.

That person seems like a crazo to me. I'm not sure what your point is there. Did you want me to find you a similar screenshot about women being raped, to prove there isn't a "double standard"? I'm not responsible for people with crazy beliefs saying crazy things even if they happen to sound vaguely like the things I'm saying.
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but if you're always taking something into account, you're never getting past it

not to say that we shouldn't be sensitive but over-sensitivity can be just as insensitive as insensitivity. not everyone wants special treatment, they just want to be treated normally, like one of the gang.

oh god. REALLY.
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really
 
blahblah...blah said:
I'd like to hear Opiate's response to this. It seems unfair to have banned that guy.
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I didn't execute the ban and will not be commenting.

Bombadil said:
Yes, historically, women have been oppressed. But over-protection of one gender is unfair.

And somehow it seems okay for white people to get picked on.
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Serious question: how do you expect oppression to end if the oppressed group is not "overly protected?" Historically, we've solved cultural inequalities experienced by blacks, gays, women, and several other minorities by giving them extra special protections not afforded to everyone else. Without these rules, communities and societies tend to remain racist, or sexist, or bigoted. Do you have a better solution?

If you call a woman a "dick", the association absolutely is with man-like qualities. "Dick" is used in situations opposing that of "pussy". For example, someone is called a "pussy" if he is weak and does not assert him/herself, takes a beating, etc. The association is made between female genitals and how they take on the force of a man's. You call someone a "dick" when he/she is being overly forceful and self-absorbed. For example, someone will be called a "dick" if he/she tries to swerve into your lane suddenly, takes the last candy out of the bowl, etc. You would never, ever refer to a person who suddenly swerved into your lane a "pussy", and you would never refer to someone who takes a beating from someone else as a "dick".

Women historically are idealized as possessing passive roles. Men, active ones. Thus the insult of "pussy" is more generally applied to men, because it emasculates them. The title of "dick" is associated with being overly assertive of oneself, and is directly associated with phallic symbolism and traditional masculinity. It simply cannot be the case that a woman gets called a "dick" without any overtones of masculine qualities being insinuated. It's far too ingrained into the word and its relatives.
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I'm not sure if you deliberately clipped the final sentence I quoted, but I emphasized that the stereotypes of women are bad. That is, being an assertive, strong person is generally considered a good thing; being weak and "passive," as you put it, are generally not considered good things. That is the problem.
 
If the shoe fits I'll shit on anyone. I prefer reversing the gender of the insult, because it's funnier though. For example, calling a woman a bitch makes me feel a little trashy and scummy, but calling a woman a dickgead makes me smile.

It's also funny to refer to woman as, "jerking off" for the record.

/lesson
 
Opiate said:
Serious question: how do you expect oppression to end if the oppressed group is not "overly protected?" Historically, we've solved cultural inequalities experienced by blacks, gays, women, and several other minorities by giving them extra special protections not afforded to everyone else. Without these rules, communities and societies tend to remain racist, or sexist, or bigoted. Do you have a better solution?
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I'm fine with historically oppressed people receiving extra support to counterbalance the long term effects of being oppressed.
 
Opiate said:
I didn't execute the ban and will not be commenting.



Serious question: how do you expect oppression to end if the oppressed group is not "overly protected?" Historically, we've solved cultural inequalities experienced by blacks, gays, women, and several other minorities by giving them extra special protections not afforded to everyone else. Without these rules, communities and societies tend to remain racist, or sexist, or bigoted. Do you have a better solution?



I'm not sure if you deliberately clipped the final sentence I quoted, but I emphasized that the stereotypes of women are bad. That is, being an assertive, strong person is generally considered a good thing; being weak and "passive," as you put it, are generally not considered good things. That is the problem.
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I always thought of being a dick means you are being rude, abusive, and unrelenting like a man. I don't understand how that isn't a gendered insult like the other insult that refers to genitals. Being called a Man-child or being told to man-up is a phrase used to encourage men to follow traditional gender roles and to insult men who do not demonstrate supposed masculine qualities like not crying and bringing home an income. I'd say those are in line with "cunt" and bitch."
 
cheststrongwell said:
I knew a guy with a colostomy bag once. He was an asshole.
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Ha ha. It's funny because he has a colostomy bag, so it's literally like he has an asshole on his body, ergo he's an asshole. Ha ha.

As someone born with a rare intestinal disorder that required multiple surgeries as a kid who actually had a colostomy bag that required me to shit fom a hole in my abdomen that left me with a scar that I have to explain everytime I take my shirt off in public or in a romantic situation I find this hillarious.

This is why “LOL fat people, point and laugh” will get you banned. He who does not have physical issues, any vices, is not perfect, or has no body image issues throw the first stone. I “ain't” even fat, but I've met more decent people with weight issues than skinny people.
 
gillianseed you have just destroyed any preconceived notions of righteousness that neogaf members have felt. no wait you haven't, you've just provided anecdotal evidence! epic fail.
 
So where does insults like 'smallcock' and 'prick' fall under? The amount of women i've heard exclaim that, oh my lordy lordy me!

Your site, your rules, but I truly hope that you're not going to paint yourselves into a sterile corner if this path continues.
 
JABEE said:
I always thought of being a dick means you are being rude, abusive, and unrelenting like a man. I don't understand how that isn't a gendered insult like the other insult that refers to genitals. Being called a Man-child or being told to man-up is a phrase used to encourage men to follow traditional gender roles and to insult men who do not demonstrate supposed masculine qualities like not crying and bringing home an income. I'd say those are in line with "cunt" and bitch."
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For the sake of clarity, I would like to make it clear that I am not interested in debating moderation policy. We are not going to treat "dick" or "prick" in the same manner as actual slurs, nor are we going to allow the usage of slurs like "bitch" or "cunt" or "faggot" as freely as some posters would evidently like.

So with that said:

I think that one possible point of disconnection is that I (and I suspect Opiate, though I have not asked him) differentiate between "slurs" and "insults." Not every word that is insulting, even words that are gendered in some way (and I agree with Karsticle's argument insofar as his reasoning for "dick" being gendered goes), is necessarily a slur. While "dick" is mildly insulting, it does not possess the social or historical venom to make it rise to the level of a slur. The mere fact that it is gendered does not mean that it it is therefore equally as offensive as a slur like "faggot" or "cunt".
 
GillianSeed79 said:
Ha ha. It's funny because he has a colostomy bag, so it's literally like he has an asshole on his body, ergo he's an asshole. Ha ha.

As someone born with a rare intestinal disorder that required multiple surgeries as a kid who actually had a colostomy bag that required me to shit fom a hole in my abdomen that left me with a scar that I have to explain everytime I take my shirt off in public or in a romantic situation I find this hillarious.

This is why “LOL fat people, point and laugh” will get you banned. He who does not have physical issues, any vices, is not perfect, or has no body image issues throw the first stone. I “ain't” even fat, but I've met more decent people with weight issues than skinny people.
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Dude, I was just responding to someone's comment about colostomy bags. I assume you didn't throw your bag on the restroom floor when you changed it. This guy did. He was an asshole.
 
cheststrongwell said:
Dude, I was just responding to someone's comment about colostomy bags. I assume you didn't throw your bag on the restroom floor when you changed it. This guy did. He was an asshole.
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Ah, the funny thing is I really am an asshole. Apologies. I need to sign off for the night. I was just busting your balls.
 
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