# Using gender specific pejoratives in the Pit? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 8, 2013, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764 "2013-05-08T02:13:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/41 "2013-05-08T18:23:59Z")
There’s always “twat” and “snatch”. (Are those forbidden?) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/42 "2013-05-08T18:25:52Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > There’s always “twat” and “snatch”. (Are those forbidden?) Add “box” for the trifecta.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/43 "2013-05-09T00:43:33Z")
There’s a reason I post here instead of 4chan. I like the fact that this board has standards. If people object to those standards, there are other boards out there. If I had to make a choice between losing the people who decided not to post here because posters are calling each other fags and niggers and cunts and losing the people who decided not to post here because they can’t call other posters fags and niggers and cunts, I’d choose to sacrifice the latter group. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/44 "2013-05-09T01:04:36Z")
I’m not joining into the argument about what should or shouldn’t be appropriate, just wanted to add my $0.02 about relative meaning of words, apart from their obvious anatomical context. “Cunt” is used totally non gender specifically, but more often by men directed at other men. Whether it’s an insult or a term of endearment depends on tone, which doesn’t translate well in text. eg, saying to someone “You’re a funny cunt aren’t you?” in writing leaves tone totally dependant on the reader and can be interpreted anywhere from insulting and borderline threatening to, literally, a term of endearment from friend to friend. When used as an insult, it has a stronger impact than any of the other genital related terms. “Dick” is generally used as a mild insult meaning stupid. “Jerk” is close. Calling someone a Dick as an insult is far milder than calling them a Cunt. “Prick” generally means someone mean or nasty, unkind, selfish etc In this case, it’s not a direct synonym for “Dick” ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/45 "2013-05-09T01:29:38Z")
> [@stui\_magpie](#): > > I’m not joining into the argument about what should or shouldn’t be appropriate, just wanted to add my $0.02 about relative meaning of words, apart from their obvious anatomical context. > > “Cunt” is used totally non gender specifically, but more often by men directed at other men. Whether it’s an insult or a term of endearment depends on tone, which doesn’t translate well in text. _\_ Ah, _Location: Melbourne Australia_; that explains it. This is definitely a word that changes in usage and the emotions evoked according to where you live. Here in America, it’s a make-women-see-red insult. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/46 "2013-05-09T01:40:03Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > If I had to make a choice between losing the people who decided not to post here because posters are calling each other fags and niggers and cunts and losing the people who decided not to post here because they can’t call other posters fags and niggers and cunts, I’d choose to sacrifice the latter group. Yeah, I could do without the nigger stuff, however I don’t think that’s the impetus of the new rules. Stormfronters, as far as I can tell, are still welcome. Nigger = OK, Booby = bad. Or am I mistaken?:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/47 "2013-05-09T01:47:25Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Yeah, I could do without the nigger stuff, however I don’t think that’s the impetus of the new rules. Stormfronters, as far as I can tell, are still welcome. Nigger = OK, Booby = bad. Or am I mistaken?:dubious: IANA Mod, but I’m pretty sure if you threw it into a thread out of the blue, you’d get at least a warning. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/48 "2013-05-09T02:17:37Z")
Yeah, calling a man a “dick” is no different than calling a woman a “cunt”. That’s obviously true just as calling some bitter, white loser “Jethro” is no different than calling a black man a “nigger”. Please. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/49 "2013-05-09T03:07:02Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Yeah, I could do without the nigger stuff, however I don’t think that’s the impetus of the new rules. Stormfronters, as far as I can tell, are still welcome. Nigger = OK, Booby = bad. Or am I mistaken?:dubious: You are very much mistaken. I have no idea where you got these ideas. While “nigger” may be used in certain contexts (e.g. discussions of rap music, Huckleberry Finn, or slang), throwing it around at random is very likely to be moderated. On the other hand, “booby” in and of itself is generally OK. ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/50 "2013-05-09T04:19:46Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > On the other hand, “booby” in and of itself is generally OK. Ok, we’re also going to need a new rule regarding throwing this sort of straight line out there. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/51 "2013-05-09T07:36:53Z")
As long as it’s not directed at another member of the SDMB, it looks like censorship, to me. Just sayin… ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/52 "2013-05-09T08:34:46Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > What I AM curious about is, if someone says something like: “If you take naked pics of yourself and send them via the internet to your BF, you’re a slutty little bitch!” Now, that statement is as about as sexist as they come. How will that be monitored in the Pit? Does the Pit negate the new guidelines? > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The mods have said that the policy applies equally to men and women. > > So don’t worry, Shakes, if the women on this board ever decide to start asking the men to post pictures of their penises, they will be told to knock it off. He let it slide, but ISTM like you misinterpreted what \*\*Shakes \*\*was asking up there, which was a whole lot more valid than the whole dick/cunt thing. He wasn’t asking if women would also be modded for anything, he was asking if people will now be modded for being sexist/misogynistic in the Pit. Whether or not “the policy applies equally to men and women” is irrelevant to what he asked. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/53 "2013-05-09T11:55:32Z")
> [@JBDivmstr](#): > > As long as it’s not directed at another member of the SDMB, it looks like censorship, to me. > Just sayin… If it’s censorship when directed at nonmembers, it’s censorship when directed at members–how are you defining censorship otherwise? ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/54 "2013-05-09T12:14:53Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > If it’s censorship when directed at nonmembers, it’s censorship when directed at members–how are you defining censorship otherwise? When directed at another poster and meant to belittle them it is an insult… when used to describe a group of people it is censorship. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/55 "2013-05-09T12:20:33Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > You are very much mistaken. I have no idea where you got these ideas. > > While “nigger” may be used in certain contexts (e.g. discussions of rap music, Huckleberry Finn, or slang), throwing it around at random is very likely to be moderated. On the other hand, “booby” in and of itself is generally OK. OK, I’ll take your word on this. It just seems racism in general would now be more acceptable than sexism. I’m not going to bother digging up cites, I’ll accept your assurance.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/56 "2013-05-09T12:21:38Z")
> [@Kyrie\_Eleison](#): > > Ok, we’re also going to need a new rule regarding throwing this sort of straight line out there. I think he meant the [bird](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booby).😃 I believe he is a biologist of some sort. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/57 "2013-05-09T15:01:36Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > What I AM curious about is, if someone says something like: “If you take naked pics of yourself and send them via the internet to your BF, you’re a slutty little bitch!” Now, that statement is as about as sexist as they come. How will that be monitored in the Pit? Does the Pit negate the new guidelines? Couple of points… First, Dex has said and is confirming with other mods that the new guidelines are not meant to change how the Pit is moderated, because a lot of nastiness is allowed there. Second, if I were to interpret the overall rules of the board, new ones included, expression of sexist ideas is not, in itself, a violation. If one were to make that statement above outside the Pit directed at another poster, then it would be moderated as an insult. If one were to make that statement as a general statement (“I think that women who take naked pics of themselves and send them via the internet to their boyfriends are slutty little bitches”) in a way that wasn’t a hijack, that would be allowed. IANAM, individual cases moderated on their own merits, void where prohibited. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/58 "2013-05-09T16:14:32Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > fags and niggers and cunts Oh my! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/59 "2013-05-09T16:16:38Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > He let it slide, but ISTM like you misinterpreted what \*\*Shakes \*\*was asking up there, which was a whole lot more valid than the whole dick/cunt thing. He wasn’t asking if women would also be modded for anything, he was asking if people will now be modded for being sexist/misogynistic in the Pit. Whether or not “the policy applies equally to men and women” is irrelevant to what he asked. You didn’t quote the relevant lines from Shakes’ posts. He clearly was claiming there is a double standard. > [@Shakes](#): > > So currently, if some woman wants to call me a dick in the Pit; that gets a pass. But if I were to call some woman a cunt; I would get moded. > > And as far as the dick vs cunt thing goes, speaking strictly on a pedantic level, aren’t those two the exact same thing? And shouldn’t that be considered a double standard? > [@Shakes](#): > > Alright, I’m probably going to regret posting the whole “Cunt vs Dick” thing. I DO think it’s a double standard, which is something a few people on here have been bitching about. He may have also raised other issues but I was responding to what he said here. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764/60 "2013-05-09T17:25:36Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > You mock our cussing??! :eek: Yeah. Sorry. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-gender-specific-pejoratives-in-the-pit/657764.md?page=4)