Why is the "C word" so offensive?

[Ceilidh]

I know loads of people who swear but once they hear the "C word" they'll get really offended.

Why?

I say it in front of my friends all the time and I don't see the big deal I wouldn't say it in front of people I don't know but I wouldn't say the "F word" in front of people I don't know either.

[Bibliophile]

Which C word?

[Henry Tyrell]

I think it's a rude way to refer to a girl's genitalia. It helps spread the idea that girls' genitalia is wrong and dirty and therefore a perfect swear word. I find the c word VERY offensive.

[LlamaLlamaDuck]

I've often wondered this. I've never used it because I do try to not swear unless I'm upset about something.
A word is only offensive if society makes it so. If a group of people suddenly became offended by the word jumper, and it spread, (I know it's a weird example) then we'd have to use a different word in order to avoid offending everyone.

[Ceilidh]

Originally Posted by Rosana

I think it's a rude way to refer to a girl's genitalia. It helps spread the idea that girls' genitalia is wrong and dirty and therefore a perfect swear word. I find the c word VERY offensive.

LOL I actually have a friend who refers to her vagina as her "c*nt" She is quite crude and vulgar though

LOL this thread is now reminding me of Benidorm.

Kate: Doesn't she worry about the C word?
Janice: No, she has been called worse than that.
Kate: I mean cancer

[Skeleton]

I've never understood why either. I have no problem with the word but due to the fact that I know some people are offended by it, I view it as one of the worst swear words you can use and try to avoid using it, although sometimes I will but I make sure no-one who I know is offended by it is around and those who are won't take any offence.

[bitesize]

I really don't like the word, and usually try and save it for when I'm too angry for anything else to do... if I used it all the time I wouldn't be able to express my anger properly when I had it. :P I honestly don't know why it's more offensive than others, although the sound of word is pretty harsh and blunt in itself..maybe that's why it sounds vulgar?? I agree that curse words are all in the mind though.


Unfortunately I currently have this particular word printed on my arm in huge black letters that won't wash off....that's the price to pay for going to a club night called C U Next Tuesday, hah.

[better-than-ecstasy]

I was told it is one of the worst words to say or call somebody. I don't use the word, but a lot of bad words mean something that isn't really bad. If you look it up in the dictionary it says something dealing with woman or something along the lines. I really don't care, I just know it is a bad word.

[Don'tForget]

I always have wondered why it is so bad.My friend didn't know the work, and she wondered why she never heard me say it (i swear a lot. )I told her its worse She asked me how, i said i don't know. Then she called me an idiot. It just sounds worse than other curse words.

[Tyr.]

I believe the "C Word" is "cunt". There's another one which is more racial.

It's a cultural thing.

In my country, calling somebody a "cunt" is particularly offensive. However, calling somebody a "good cunt" is considered high praise, and it goes all the way up to "splendiferous cunt". I'm pretty sure it's almost directly related to the female genitalia, and the idea that some are bad, some are good, and some are amazing, hence the differentiation with the preceding term.

No, I'm not joking.

- Tyr

[Outsider]

In the UK it's nowhere near as offensive as it is in North America. I hear British kids using it as an every day insult, and at least where I'm from, you never hear it. A few days ago in one of my classes, I referred to an 'ice queen' as a cunt and almost got slapped. I use it pretty loosely around guys and 'cool' girls who can deal with it, though. It is always nice having an atom bomb in your back pocket during an argument with a girl, however.

[Cataclysmic]

I don't really get offended by it and have found some words that I won't repeat so much worse than that one really.

[anony mouse.]

I don't really like how it sounds. I cuss a lot more than I should but I reserve that particular word for when I'm really upset. It's just nasty sounding, idk.

[The Goblins Blade]

I use it alot to be honest, and yes im admitting that!

[blumemusik♫]

I'm from Liverpool, guys.

If I go into town and don't hear this word, I would probably be more upset than if I did hear it. At least the excessive swearing give us character

[Harlequin.]

I know it doesn't sound very nice, but I still don't get why people are so offended by it.

I don't really swear much (if I swear, it generally means I'm really upset) but my friends do, and they never really say it.

There's tons of words that sound horrible and are really offensive, yet people still say them, why is the "c word" so different?

[TheNumber42]

Honestly, because people are too sensitive. It's just a word. The same, in my opinion, goes for all cuss words.

Not that I don't think words can hurt. They absolutely can. But what makes this word so special that saying it is automatically hurtful? Nothing aside from people giving the word power. Words can hurt, but there is really nothing special about c*** that should give it all this negative power. I think it's far more vile and hurtful to tell someone that they are "stupid and worthless," yet you don't see people censoring those words.

[th3face0fdeath]

I use it all the time. But I have friends I can cuss around, that I can mildly cuss around, and friends I'd never cuss around. So it just depends. I don't necessarily think people are c***s, I just... I don't know, I just like using the word.

[Coexist.]

I think it's an offensive stab against women just like slut or whore. I don't use words that insult somebody purely upon their gender, it's stupid.

[diannedo]

It really isn't that bad, at least not as bad as it used to be.. i think a lot of the offense attached to it has gradually faded out..

[Ellie]

I personally love the word xD I think the harsh sounds of it make it a beautiful word to say.

However I respect that people don't like it or find it offensive. I always thought the offensiveness came from a feminist view point? But I could be wrong. Even though I like and use the word I'd never use it directed at anyone else.

[Kumagoro]

Words are words. It's their context and usage that makes them offensive. That's not to say that people shouldn't be offended - if someone says it with really nasty intent, then of course it's going to be upsetting. But I agree that it's strange how some words are worse than others. I guess it's because people use the C word in the most offensive contexts, and that makes it a very offensive word.

[Bubbles. ♥]

Originally Posted by Revolution

I think it's an offensive stab against women just like slut or whore.

This. I slapped a girl for calling me a c-nt and I'm not ashamed because it's an offensive stab against me. I can't explain why, just like no one can really explain why cuss words are what they are.