Women, have you ever called your friend a “bitch” or “ho?” If so, why? Do you know the meaning and implications of being called a “bitch” or a “ho?” The term “bitch” originally means a female dog. Around 1400 C.E. it was adapted to be demeaning towards women. So when men call women “bitches,” they are comparing women to animals, therefore essentially stripping women of their humanity. The word “ho” is a derivation of “whore;” “whore” is a derogatory term for prostitutes. As women, we have the power to determine how we are viewed in society. Women need to be in control of how we refer to each other because using words like “bitch” and “ho” makes the degradation of women acceptable and encourages women to intertwine these words into our identities.
Using the words “bitch” and “ho” makes the degradation of women acceptable. Many male artists have replaced the word “woman” with “bitches” or “hos.” In the Dr. Dre’s song Housewife, he refers to women as both “bitch” and “ho,” “And when it all boils down you gonna find in the end a bitch is a bitch, but a Dogg is a man's best friend. So what you found you a hoe that you like. But you can't make a ho a housewife (wife).”Another popular song which refers to woman as both hos and bitches is We Love Deez Hoez by Outkast. The song says, “If you don't you like them hoez a whole lot... The bitch is no good like lesbians with no tongues…”Many men find it acceptable to use these words because many women often use them towards each other. They learn this through a mental process called vicarious conditioning. When men see women calling each other these degrading names without consequences, they begin to believe it is acceptable (Psychology 226). The words were created or recreated to demean women. So essentially, when the words bitch and ho are used, women are being degraded. When we as English speakers allow these words to be used without consequences, we are allowing the degradation of women.
Women using these degrading words to refer to each other entangles the meanings of bitch and ho into some women’s identities. The more often a person is told that they are something, the more they will believe it. When a woman’s friends repetitively call her a “bitch,” she will end up believing that she is. In the documentary Very Young Girls,the girls at GEMS refer to themselves as “hos.” They do this because along with their pimps, society has told them that they are “hos” for having been commercially sexually exploited. It is not just women who have been commercially sexually exploited that have begun to refer to themselves as bitches or hos, but popular culture icons. Singer/rapper Nikki Minaj wrote a song called “Baddest Bitch.” Minaj attempts to use the word “bitch” as a positive word by saying how she is successful and wealthy. When popular icons begin to refer to themselves as one thing or another, people who admire him or her will begin to emulate that behavior. When Minaj constantly refers to herself as a “bitch,” the young women who admire her may forget the original devaluing meaning of the word begin to see bitch as a positive expression.
As English speaking women, we need to take a look at the way we address each other. We must not allow the degradation of women to continue. I propose that we cease to accept “bitch” and “ho” as every day words and begin to see them as profanity once again.
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I think it is very important that we stress the meaning behind our words. What friends say to each other will eventually become a natural part of their vocabulary. If a female doesn't want to be referred to as a "bitch" by a male then why would they refer to another female as one. I agree that we females must set an example and show that words have a deeper meaning.
ReplyDeleteI agree that language is very powerful. Many times people say something they don't mean, but what's the point of that? It's much easier to just say what you mean and get right to the point. Women find it disrespectful to be called a mean name by a male or someone they don't associate with, but at the same time it's okay if their friend says it. This can cause problems when other people think it's okay to do what your friends are doing. To avoid this issue, one must take the first step and stop responding to degrading names all together, no matter who is using them.
ReplyDeleteNatalie, I cannot agree with you more. One time I was riding in my friend's car and he was listening to Eminem. I remember the song was about the rapper's mom, and in it he referred to her as a "b----" a "sl--", and other similiar terms that you referred to. It was disgusting to hear, but even worse to realize that people like my friend, promote this type of music by buying it as if to say, "it is alright." Until people, like my friend, stop buying music like this, we will not see any changes from rappers. We need to hit them where it hurts, their pockets.
ReplyDeleteI think there may be some power in re-appropriating derogatory terms that we haven't discussed here. Perhaps we should discuss that in class as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this. For example: the term "queer" in the gay and lesbian community was "taken back" in a sense when the gay community starting using it as an empowering term. something they described themselves with. by using it to refer to everyone in the community they essentially took the negativity out of the term. Nowadays I hardly if NEVER hear the term "queer" in a negatively demeaning way. And if i do, it doesn't have nearly the same connotation or sting it used to.
DeleteLanguage is such an important skill to master, but one that is much abused. I have Never allowed anyone to call me out of my name because what someone answers to is how they are defined. I try to teach to the younger girls in my life not to answer to just anything, but to what they want to be known as, and if someone has a slip of tongue, then to politely but firmly inform that person of who they are and who they are not. I wish more women would realize that they do not have to answer to every name addressed towards them, and that they deserve respect.
ReplyDeleteThese terms are all insulting but they have slightly different implications. By using both to degrade women are people implying that prostitutes are at the same level as animals? It is definitely hard for others to stop using terms for women if the women use the term to describes themselves. However, setting an example is only a part of the action that needs to be taken, women also have to be assertive and demonstrate that they will not tolerate that kind of language.
ReplyDeleteI think the idea of not using the word Bitch or Ho at all is extreme. People use those words all the time, how do you just rid it of their vocabulary? I think educated people of the origin of these words is very important. Are you saying you disagree with Nicki Minaj or no? Because she using the word bitch in a positive way, is that something we should applaud?
ReplyDeleteCertain words once being educated in their meaning should then be used in their proper form then..so you see a female dog in heat then perhaps you could intelligently use it..other then that you sound dumb and unclassy..and yes I would say Nikki Minaj is unclassy, and if you don't then along with bitch and ho you don't know the meaning.
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