The word “b***h” has a prominent place in our society today, especially within female conversations. YHM asked women, why?
Why do we use this word for friendship and then use it for our enemies?
Melissa Croce: I think that word is one of those words that is now used too loosely, like love or hate. Or even more vulgar terms that can tend to offend people. Since it’s said so often, it loses meaning, which makes it easier for girls to simply throw it in to conversations especially when different tones of voice are used along with it—whether talking about their best friend or their worst enemy.
Stefanie Klein: I think that people use the term to refer to their friends because of how the word is portrayed throughout society. In today’s media, b***h no longer has the same meaning that it did a few years ago.
If you listen to a song on the radio, you are most likely going to hear the term “b***hes” referring to women. Women think, well if a man is calling a woman that name, why can’t I call my friends that?
Now it has turned into a somewhat of an endearing term, I guess. It could also be used in a sarcastic way like, “You stupid b***h! Haha” where the people using it are not serious, again, because of how the term is portrayed in the media, movies, television etc.
Then women turn around and call their enemies the same name. This gives it a completely different meaning. I don’t think people understand they are using the same word, but with two different meanings.
YHM asks, how will you change the way this word dictates its true meaning?