# Am I allowed to use the word "\*\*\*\*"? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 5, 2019, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588 "2019-07-05T20:22:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/1 "2019-07-05T20:22:48Z")
In this post: [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=21734222&postcount=18](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=21734222&postcount=18) moderator Chronos forbids me from using the word “\*\*\*\*”. I’m not going to use the word in question because a moderator has given me explicit instructions not to use that word again so unless I get cleared to use it, I won’t. Which means that this post may get a little awkward. I don’t think much of Chronos as a poster (he may be quite fine otherwise, I can’t know that) and I made that clear in a thread about magic mushrooms where I found another one of his arguments to be ill-considered. I made it clear to the point of being a jackass towards him. I could go on about why I was feeling more emotional that day and more frustrated with his way of debating but it doesn’t matter; I should have exercised better self-control. I realized that and sent him a PM where I apologized. He didn’t reply which is fair enough; I owed him an apology and he doesn’t owe me a thing. His note and instruction never to use the word “ **" again seems like personal payback, though. Is that allowed from moderators? As long as I’m not directing it at another poster, don’t the rules allow me to use "** ”? I was referring to painful trigger points in my back muscles. If someone takes offense at my use of the word “\*\*\*\*”, can they use their moderating powers to forbid me from using it, even if I’m not directing it at another poster? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/2 "2019-07-05T20:32:18Z")
It’s the “C” word, people. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/3 "2019-07-05T20:37:49Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > It’s the “C” word, people. But if I use “C word”, people could think I said "chink, “chinaman”, “cock” (or any variation thereof like “cocksucker” or “cockgobbler”), “cracker”, “clogwog”, “colored”, “coon”, “cum” or, the very worst slur of them all, “Christian”. ---
**Author:** ![kk\_fusion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kk_fusion/32/15276_2.png) [@kk\_fusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kk_fusion)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/4 "2019-07-05T20:38:11Z")
[Here](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17968323&postcount=68)’s Ed’s ruling from a previous thread. If that’s still in effect then yes, that moderation was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/5 "2019-07-05T20:38:37Z")
I am not a mod of course, but the restricted words rules were removed last year, and apparently you are free to use that word in the Pit. [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=858609](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=858609) Outside of the Pit, you’re not allowed to direct that word against other posters. I’m not aware of a hard and fast rule against using it as slang for female genitalia. I believe **Chronos** is in error. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/6 "2019-07-05T20:44:47Z")
He’s not even using it as slang for genitalia. He’s talking about muscle knots. Perhaps Chronos should be a moderator at neopets if using the word cunt will unnerve him so badly. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/7 "2019-07-05T20:54:21Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > But if I use “C word”, people could think I said "chink, “chinaman”, “cock” (or any variation thereof like “cocksucker” or “cockgobbler”), “cracker”, “clogwog”, “colored”, “coon”, “cum” or, the very worst slur of them all, “Christian”. Not in America, in my experience. “C” word is “C” word. (Being told not to use it anywhere on the board seems heavy.) ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/8 "2019-07-05T21:07:06Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > . . . > I don’t think much of Chronos as a poster . . . I sure do. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/9 "2019-07-05T21:07:53Z")
> [@kk\_fusion](#): > > [Here](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17968323&postcount=68)’s Ed’s ruling from a previous thread. If that’s still in effect then yes, that moderation was wrong. Yeah, even the Pit restriction was lifted, so mere use of the word is within the rules. And OK to call another poster one within the Pit. @ **Inner Stickler** : noted. I still think the note was heavy-handed. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/10 "2019-07-05T21:14:02Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > I sure do. Yes. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/11 "2019-07-05T21:30:16Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > I don’t think much of Chronos as a poster That’s odd. **Chronos** is hands-down my favorite poster here. I don’t always think much of him as a moderator, though. This kerfuffle a case in point. This came up before in the [Bad Precedent](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=559133) thread, which ended with > [@Ed Zotti](#): > > OK, everybody, let’s back off > It’s time to bring some closure to this. To review, we (that is, the SDMB staff) screwed up. Specifically: > > 1. A poster called an off-board individual a cunt in post #41 on 3-29 in the thread in question. We issued a mod note in post #45 on 3-30. > > This was a mistake. Although we don’t encourage posters to direct vulgarities at off-board individuals, we’ve never had a rule against it. We have a rule against hateful material, and would likely take exception to terms such as nigger, kike, etc. Cunt isn’t usually thought of as falling into that category. The only rule we have regarding this term is that it can’t be directed at another poster in the Pit. Outside the Pit, you can’t insult other posters, period. > > 1. The poster called the off-board individual a cunt again in post #193 on 4-9. We subsequently issued a warning. When asked about this, we said the warning had been issued because the poster had disobeyed a moderator’s instructions. > > This was also a mistake. Our rules state, “You agree to abide by the wishes of the board moderators in interpreting and enforcing these rules. Refusal to cooperate with board moderators or to abide by these rules is grounds for revocation of your posting privileges.” No rule had been broken, and there was little evidence of refusal to cooperate. The second instance of cunt was nine days and 148 posts after the issuance of the mod note. There was minimal discussion of the note during the intervening time, none of it by the poster in question. He didn’t appear to be openly defying the mod note; the simplest explanation is he never saw it. > > Let me be clear: we don’t allow open defiance of mod rulings, and had the poster been defiant, the warning would have been proper, even if the original ruling were ill-considered. But that wasn’t the case here. We just messed up. The warning accordingly has been rescinded, as you see. Our apologies for the confusion. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/12 "2019-07-05T21:41:00Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > I sure do. > [@bobot](#): > > Yes. > [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > That’s odd. **Chronos** is hands-down my favorite poster here. It’s ok if you think he’s a great poster and I don’t. The 4th of July was just yesterday and one of the ideals it symbolizes is freedom of opinion. That’s what’s great about living in a free cuntry. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/13 "2019-07-05T22:21:50Z")
I don’t know what the current status on using “cunt” outside the Pit is, but note that there have been several rulings in the last couple of years aimed at making the board more friendly to women. Ed’s rulings from 5-10 years ago are out of date. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/14 "2019-07-05T22:36:57Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > I don’t know what the current status on using “cunt” outside the Pit is, but note that there have been several rulings in the last couple of years aimed at making the board more friendly to women. Ed’s rulings from 5-10 years ago are out of date. Yeah, I remember the time one of the female posters\* pushing for warning/banning people for making sexuality-related comments got warned/banned for making a sexuality-related comment to a male poster. That was fucking funny. Would I be allowed to use “berk” instead? \*don’t remember who, it’s been a while, sorry, wish I knew because I’d love linking to it. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/15 "2019-07-05T22:54:23Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > I don’t know what the current status on using “cunt” outside the Pit is, but note that there have been several rulings in the last couple of years aimed at making the board more friendly to women. Ed’s rulings from 5-10 years ago are out of date. As one of the more vocal women\*, I have no problem with it. If we can call people dicks, we should be able to call them cunts. Equality! 😃 \*Other women may feel differently. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/16 "2019-07-05T23:06:10Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > As one of the more vocal women\*, I have no problem with it. If we can call people dicks, we should be able to call them cunts. Equality! 😃 > > \*Other women may feel differently. Stop interrupting his white knighting with your well-considered feminism. You’re oppressing him! ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/17 "2019-07-05T23:21:22Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > I don’t know what the current status on using “cunt” outside the Pit is, but note that there have been several rulings in the last couple of years aimed at making the board more friendly to women. Ed’s rulings from 5-10 years ago are out of date. The word has different connotations in other English speaking nations. Lets not be American-centric. Sent from my LGMS210 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/18 "2019-07-05T23:29:38Z")
> [@](#): > > We have a rule against hateful material, and would likely take exception to terms such as nigger, kike, etc. Cunt isn’t usually thought of as falling into that category. Not my board and not my rules; but that word used as an insult definitely falls into that category for me. I have no problem with it used literally in a non-insulting fashion. I went rapidly away from the thread in which it was used as an insult, though I’d been thinking of commenting there before I saw it. I didn’t try to report it, because not my board and not my rules. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/19 "2019-07-05T23:29:55Z")
I thought we had agreed to use it, within the guidelines for insults. A clarification from the mods would be useful. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588/20 "2019-07-05T23:31:58Z")
Years ago I was smacked by my nanna for using the word bum. Nowadays it wouldn’t raise the slightest of eyebrows. Cunt is gaining the same authority in my humble opinion. For many years it was a word I used VERY sparingly IRL, and those being called a cunt knew that they would be extremely wise to get away from me, post haste. Now, especially online and conversing with friends on social media, the word is used with gay abandon. From describing the stupid cunts at work, the cunt that cut me off at the intersection, or when the car won’t start…it’s a cunt too. It is no longer a word to describe the female genitalia at least here in Australia, oh, and by the way, I have one but most of the time I’m not one. 😃 Yeah, I think the mod-note was out of line too. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-allowed-to-use-the-word/836588.md?page=2)