Connotations of the Word "Bitch"

Adrienne's Blog

Adrienne Seagraves
May 9, 2007
Literary Studies
Dr. Ventura

YOU’RE A “BITCH”…DID I HURT YOUR FEELINGS?
The Connotations of the Word “Bitch”

Oxford dictionary defines “bitch” as a woman whom one considers to be malicious or unpleasant. Also, “bitch” is a canine term used to refer to a female dog (Haber 88). It can be used in reference to a difficult or unpleasant thing or situation as well. In today’s society, both men and women use the word “bitch” to refer to one of the same sex, as well as an individual of the opposite sex. When a man refers to a woman as a “bitch” it is generally because the woman displays a sense of power and confidence that may intimidate the male. The male may feel a sense of inferiority to the female at that point which causes him to react and refer to the powerful woman as a “bitch” in order to regain his percieved social status of superiority over the female. But how is a man affected when referred to as a “bitch” by a woman? When women refer to men as bitches, it demotes the power of a man and makes him feel belittled.
Joan Morgan, author of Fly-Girls, Bitches, and Hoes argues that when a woman refers to another woman as a “bitch” it is generally because one woman has something that the other woman desires (153). Women tend to bring out the best in each other and are often in a competition for something, usually a male figure. “At some point we’ve all been the bearers or recipients of the competitive, unsisterly, “bitchy” ways in which we can sometimes act, particularly when vying for male attention (Morgan 156).”
It is suggested that black men who use the term “bitch” possess a lack of self love which in turn is reflected on the way in which they treat their women. Morgan believes that “As black women, we are hurt when we hear brothers calling us bitches and hoes. We feel that the real crime being committed isn’t the name-calling but their failure to love us—to be our brothers in the way that we commit ourselves to being their sistas,” (154). A man who doesn’t truly love himself is incapable of loving us in the healthy way we want and need to be loved. It’s telling us that men who can only see us as bitches and hoes refer to themselves only as niggers ( 156).
In the article “Gender-Linked Derogatory Terms and Their Use by Women and Men”, University of Toronto Professor Deborah James argues that many derogatory terms like “bitch” that are directed towards males are intended to define them as weak in character/like a woman which supports the idea that it is natural or inevitable that women should be weak in character compared to men (403). Many derogatory terms that are directed towards women focus on sexuality, on the extent to which they are sexually attractive. Women are evaluated largely in terms of the extent to which they conform to heterosexual male needs and desires (James 404).
Terms which liken men to women appear to be more derogatory than terms which liken women to men (James 406). Men lose status by being likened to women, while women are raised in status by being likened to men (Haber 250). Thus masculine/lesbian terms are less insulting to women than weak/like a woman/homosexual terms are to men. In a study done at the University of Toronto, sixty-six terms were found to be insults to men. In comparison only eleven terms were found to refer women as masculine/feminine (James 413). Also apart of the study was a comparison of the derogatory words used by men and women. The study found that out of all the words that women used, only 7% (14/204) were used to refer to a man as weak in character/like a woman or homosexual. In that same study it was found that 25% (25/101) of the terms used by men were used to refer to a man as weak in character/like a woman or homosexual (James 416). These findings reveal that men more often times than women to use terms such as “bitch” to downgrade other men and weaken their character. Why is that the case?
In general female-referential and male referential derogatory terms reflect a construction of gender by which males are evaluated primarily in terms of the extent to which they can function as competent masters of every situation, which has a lot to do with gaining and maintaining status in the eyes of other males. Females, on the other hand are evaluated primarily in terms of how well they conform to heterosexual male needs, and desires (James 415). This is the reason why males don’t react in the same manner when called a bitch by a female than by a male.
Many men still live with the mentality that women are beneath them. When a man is called a “bitch” by a woman, he is not affected in the same manner as he is when a male calls him a “bitch”. In traditional societies, women are still considered not to measure up completely to a man. Some men feel that they don’t have to worry about being challenged by a woman because she is not their equal. Females also do not have the same intent as males when referring to males as a “bitch”. Often times, women intend to reduce the masculinity of men when calling them a “bitch”. Men do not feel as hurt because women aren’t men so how could they know about what it takes to be a man?
On the other hand, when a man is called a “bitch” by another man, his masculinity is being challenged by what he would consider an individual who is of the same of higher social status than he. In turn, men often compete against other by testing each others masculinity. Anytime a man questions another man’s manhood, it is often considered disrespectful. The level of disrespect that it reaches is limitless. Because many men take pride in being a man, they are prone to ensure at any given moment what kind of man they truly are. As a result, men often get into confrontations with other men over their manhood. Men are less likely to go that extra mile to prove their manhood to a woman as opposed to a man. Women cannot affect men the way other men can.
The fact that women are still fighting to be considered equals to their male counterparts is intolerable. As women we must advance beyond the chauvinistic ideals that have stifled us back for centuries and gain the respect and equality that is rightfully ours.












Works Cited


Haber, Tom Burns. “Canine Terms Applied to Human Beings and Human Events: Part I”. American Speech. 40.2 May 1965: 83-101 JSTOR. Robert E. Woodruff Lib., Atlanta, GA. 20 April 2007

Haber, Tom Burns. “Canine Terms Applied to Human Beings and Human Events: Part II”. American Speech. 40.4 Dec 1965: 243-271 JSTOR. Robert E. Woodruff Lib., Atlanta, GA. 20 April 2007 http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0003-%091283%28196512%2940%3A4%3C243%3ACTATHB%3E2.0.CO%3B2-N

James, Deborah. “Gender-Linked Derogatory Terms and Their Use by Women and Men”. American Speech. 73.4 Winter 1998: 399-420 JSTOR. Robert E. Woodruff Lib., Atlanta, GA. 20 April 2007 http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0003-%091283%28199824%2973%3A4%3C399%3AGDTATU%3E2.0.CO%3B2-K

Morgan, Joan. “Fly-Girls, Bitches, and Hoes: Notes of a Hip-Hop Feminist”. Social Text. 45 Winter 1995: 151-157 JSTOR. Robert E. Woodruff Lib., Atlanta, GA. 20 April 2007