 "Photo:")
This was the first word I ever said.
I was a little more than eight months old and my dad said I had a huge smile on my face. From "da" I went on to quickly learn hundreds of words thanks to mom's "word of the day" on-the-fridge policy. I learned big words, Italian words and even cuss words, although these weren't on the fridge.
I remember the first time I cussed. I was on the bus and a girl dared me to say "damn." I did and felt so guilty; I cried when I got home.
Well, a lot has changed since I was 12 and I don't cry when I cuss.
However, I got a crash course on dirty words over the summer from a boy who, well, had needs he needed me to fulfill over the phone.
That's right, he wanted me to talk dirty to him.
I'll spare you the graphic details, but I did play along until he used the one word I hate to hear: "p---y."
This word is so degrading I considered never answering his calls again.
I'm not the only one who has had a boy talk dirty to them.
My friend Brooklyn (not her real name) met a boy at a bar and they hit it off.
They hung out a few times and got to know each other. From what I saw, this was the most polite guy she'd talked to in a long time. He opened doors for her and had immaculate manners. She told me she never would've expected him to use dirty language.
At first it wasn't even that bad. For example, he would say: "Can I stick it in you, please?"
Alright, not so romantic, but I'll give him credit for the manners - he did say please.
But then, he tried to get her to say things she couldn't. She would laugh and say "no." He actually begged her to say: "Your d--k feels good in my p---y."
When she said no, he asked if she had a problem with the word "p---y."
She answered him with one word: "Ew."
"I cringe when I hear it," she said. "I don't think it's degrading, I just don't like it."
It could just be my friends and I, but yes, we have a problem with the word "p---y." In fact, I think most girls do.
My friend Layla said she hates when a guy directs the word toward her.
"It makes me think of porn and dirty sexual acts," she said. "I don't care if I'm objectified, you can compliment my hot body all you want, but it's a male-coined term; it's derogatory."
I especially hate it when boys use it to insult other boys because they're using it to cut down someone's masculinity as if there was something inherently wrong with being a girl.
The etymology of the word is unknown, but the most sensible derivation I found is from medieval French: pucelle, which refers to a young girl or virgin.
The word itself still flourishes in our society, but the meaning has changed and now refers to female genitalia. It has become offensive and like my friends, I cringe every time I hear it.
What other words put get you out of the mood? Comment on my interactive blog at blog.thelantern.com or e-mail me at dolasinski.1.
Be the first to comment on this article!