vulgar slang for female genitalia; offensive term for a person
from Middle English, possibly from Germanic root
This word has evolved from anatomical to offensive - context matters tremendously in language!
Etymologically from female anatomy, transformed into one of English's harshest slurs through deliberate misogynistic deployment. Used to dehumanize, particularly as a control mechanism targeting women and gender-nonconforming people.
Avoid entirely in professional, organizational, or public contexts. In reclamation spaces, consent and community context are essential.
["asshole","jerk","unpleasant person"]
Some feminist and queer communities have reclaimed this word as a sovereignty act, redefining it as positive or neutral—this reclamation belongs only to those communities.
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