Bitch. In 2011, the usage and semantics of the historically insulting word, "bitch" has morphed into a new stratosphere and overall connotation.
Of course we're well beyond using it to refer to a female dog. In my era and time coming up, it was reserved for rancid, vile, nefarious, unpleasant attitude having women.
Nowadays, it seems to be un par with the other taboo and hot-button word, "nigger." Only trickier.
Don't judge me, but I recently saw a Season 3 re-union special for VH1's "Basketball Wives", and in a scene Tami Roman proudly claimed to be a "real bitch." I mean she really sold it and owned it.
Now I'm NOT foolish enough to believe that a show ironically called "Basketball Wives" (a show that entails a 2% cast of wives; and these grown women,for the most part,are acting a hot,childish,ignorant mess) is hardly the template for how mature women should conduct themselves. But the truth of the matter is, it's highly viewed and sub/consciously affects a lot of people.
So that train of thought had me thinking about other media/entertainment references where the word "bitch" was condoned.
I'm knocking KanJay's album "Watch The Throne", and I'm noticing how Jay-Z continues to reference his wife, Beyonce, on his hip-hop records.
There's a song on the album entitled 'That's my Bitch', and on 'Niggas In Paris', Jay says "I got that hot bitch in my home…" And of course, there's the classic "Me and my beautiful bitch, in the back of the back" on 'Brush Your Shoulders.'
By no means am I trying to attack Jay, as the aforementioned rhymes were for the most part received in good will. I'm just tripping and confused with the appropriation of the word.
Where's my "wigger" at or 'white-person using the "n-word" apologist' at to deconstruct bitch for me like they do 'nigger.'
My internal ethics, principals and upbringing will prevent me from ever being comfortable to call a young lady "bitch" off GP, but dammit I want to be allotted the freedom to do so if that's what it is in 2011!
It appears when black people call each other "nigger", it's a term of endearment or a way of combatting centuries of oppression and hate bottled in that word (the black people in the know, not the one's who use it absent-mindedly).
When women call each other "bitch", it seems like their using it as an "empowering" word. But how can you be 'empowered' using that word?
Ladies, will it ever get to the point where you feel comfortable if your man, friend that's a male, male family member, or a guy period ever says any of the following in the UPMOST, pleasant and endearing scenarios?
"Hey fellas, I want you to meet my bitch so and so…."
"You know you my favorite bitch, but I'll call you later b/c the game is on."
"You're the baddest bitch I ever had."
"I love my bitch."
"Dang bitch, it's 4am, could you turn the music down?"
If the answer is no, you may want to reassess your complicity of the perpetuation of the word Bitch. Be a smart B.I., truly yours, D.I.
*Ladies, don't get it twisted. The more you publicly address yourselves in such a manner, you're going to find yourself being called that, a la the "n-word." Do you really think only black people are calling each other 'nigga' ? So I don't want to hear all that "we just say it to each other."
personally, i don't want 2 be referred 2 as a bitch by anyone, male or female and i wouldn't disrespect another person (male or female)by referring to them as that. i have waaaay to much understanding of who i am as a woman (not to mention an extremely diverse vocabulary) to reduce my person to a "bitch." i wish women could hear how ridiculous they sound calling themselves that. if only people had a revelation of the power and spiritual meaning of words. ditto the blue text *ladies..* :)
ReplyDeletenot sure why a man would WANT to refer to his wife or someone he cares about as a bitch and try to make it a positive connotation, or why a woman would be okay with her man referring to her as that, especially with so many other dynamic ways to describe real womahood. #sillyrabbits lol
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