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Reclaiming the word bitch
A bitchin' new era!
If I turned to you and called you a bitch you’d stand up tall, hold your head up high and say “Thank you”, right? Well, probably not... but that’s what I hope to encourage you to do!
A word that originated from the gender of a dog has become an all too popular insult. Think about it; we love our gal pals with paws, don’t we? So why is the word bitch the exploding missile amidst our catfights? It is used in a variety of contexts, and not when someone is admiring your glossy coat.
The phrase “You say I’m a bitch like it’s a bad thing” can be seen anywhere from the tagline of a friend’s Bebo page, to a t-shirt in a fashion boutique - showing that the concept of reclaiming the word in question isn’t a newly formed ambition. With the footwork in motion it is now up to us to continue the cycle. Have you ever noticed how positive actions can be made negative by some ignoramus adding “bitch” to a passing comment?
Your wonderfully considerate boyfriend carries your schoolbag for you because you were tilting backwards under the weight; and suddenly someone is shouting across the street that he’s your bitch. No wonder every girl isn’t lucky enough to have a thoughtful boyfriend like that with such negative connotations floating about. Here’s where we make the change: he’s not your bitch, his actions are great i.e. his actions are bitchin’!
So too a woman can be called a bitch when she speaks her opinion freely. Granted that is a massive generalisation and could apply to situations where an opinion is spoken a little too freely... but still it shows the strength a woman has. It shows the independence and high self esteem women possess when they are confident enough to make their opinion known. On the positive front, being a bitch equates to strength, independence and confidence.
Now the classic school time friend comes into play: the verbal bully. They start small and call you a bitch, you smile sweetly and turn away. They realise you don’t find it insulting. They’re confused and decide to try a different tactic; they call you a stupid bitch. You keep smiling and turn to walk away; a confident bitch like you doesn’t care about their petty ploys of attack. In desperation as they see you walk away they feel the need to sink another step lower and add yet another adjective; now they claim you’re a stupid fat bitch. Do you need to say anything? No. For the sheer amusement of it turn back and look them in the eye and drop the bomb they never would have expected to hear: “It’s nice to see I’m so easily noticed, but this bitch has more bitchin’ things to do with their time!”
It’s time for a new era to begin where we can be called a bitch and wear it as a medal of honour. After all, if being a bitch means having a thoughtful and considerate boyfriend and being strong, independent and confidant, how could we wear such a compliment with anything other than pride?
By: Ruth Ní Bheoláin
