Here's something I'd like to discuss....

[blue_lotus13]

I have problems with the word "douchebag." I know that it's pejorative and that it is an acceptable insult, but to me, it's a bit out there. Why should I want to call someone something that has to do with cleaning a vagina? I'm not really in favour of the process of douching, since it seems pretty pointless, but the term "douche" or "douchebag" has always irritated me.

Does anyone else think that this insult is fairly sexist? Am I the only one who feels this way?

Comments

[willietheshakes.livejournal.com]

I think it's incredibly sexist.

I also find, though, that it has tremendous force as an insult.

(shrugs)

Do I contradict myself? I contradict myself. I am vast, I contain multitudes...

Thinking about it, though, it's not the sexist aspect that is at the root of its insultive power -- it is, as you point out, the "uselessness" or, pointlessness, of the process and, ergo, the tool. By calling someone a douchebag, the connotation, to my mind, is that they're useless.

[charlotterusse.livejournal.com]

I think it's incredibly sexist.

I also find, though, that it has tremendous force as an insult.

i would agree. it does bother me, and yet it often is the only word to describe so many people who bother me. i also for a very long time had problems with "pussy" being a connotation for weakness and yet i have just been unable to remove it from my vocabulary.

[willietheshakes.livejournal.com]

Yup, I agree.

It probably says something about the entrenched nature of sexism in our society, but let's face it: a prick is a prick, there's no better term for him. And a bitch is a bitch. And a certain degree of insufferableness makes one a twat.

shrugs

[bloominglotus.livejournal.com]

Exactly.

[linaerys.livejournal.com]

The argument I've seen on various feminist blogs is that since douching is stupid, pointless, irritating and unhealthy, calling someone a douchebag is calling them a bag of those things, not anything pejorative about a woman's anatomy.

I'm not sure I buy it, but that is why the widespread acceptance of that insult even in the feminist blogosphere. I prefer Asshat, or even Assberet.

[donrickles.livejournal.com]

I've seen this argument too and I'm also not sure I'm buying it. However, like others above, I find it incredibly powerful and apt. I always feel that twinge of guilt when I use it...

[suhl.livejournal.com]

That's how it happens in my head too, except I think it was used as an insult before it was recognized as pointless and potentially bad.

[closethipster.livejournal.com]

Maybe I spend too much time on Feministing, but I go with your first paragraph there.

But yeah, I never touch it myself.

Plus, douche bag is sooooo 2007. It's all about the douche nozzle now.

[lindaquelinda.livejournal.com]

yes! i think i must be going on 90 y ears old, but i can't believe they can say it on tv either. not that it's like, a cuss word, but i don't know- i do think there's a tinge of sexism in there.

[kumquatmay]

I think of it more as a an insult in terms of personal hygene, but I do think that it is somewhat sexist. I find it very interesting that if you ask a good chunk of kids who use the term what it meant, they'd probably not be able to give you apecific answer (kind of the way dork has wormed its way into 10 year old culture, but you'd be hard pressed to find a 10 year old who knew it meant penis).

Last New Years Eve, a friend of mine suggested trying to come up with a good replacement for douchebag that was a) not sexist, b) more acceptable in say, work company and c) just as satisfying to say. Thus, Chafe. Works quite well and is gender neutral.

[willietheshakes.livejournal.com]

Chafe?

Hmm...

Given the parameters, how about "toothbrush"? Or "hatbox"?

[starfishchick]

A female character used 'douchy' on a show I was watching the other day.

[more-bjorn.livejournal.com]

I do like linaerys's explanation. I agree that it is mildly sexist, but there are plenty of colloquialisms I think are FAR worse. Still, I can switch it out with the gender-neutral "asshole" or "asshat", and if there was a comparable thing for guys (dickweed?), I'd probably use that too.

the term "douche" or "douchebag" has always irritated me.

[reluctance.livejournal.com]

How do you feel about calling someone a "scumbag" or "scuzzbucket", connoting a used condom (http://www.slate.com/id/2139453/)?

I think that if the sexist hygiene industry had emerged with a widely-marketed product intended to wash and perfume men's sexual organs, its name would also find use as an epithet (don't be such a dongspritz! that's so wanglavy!), due to its necessary proximity to a taboo subject over the course of use. If such a product existed and its name was used as I speculate, would "douchebag" be any less offensive? Maybe not, but perhaps less sexist.

Clearly to avoid accusations of sexism in our offensive language, we ought to seek gender neutrality in the source of our insults. If we must call someone some kind of bag, why not a colostomy bag? Maybe an enema syringe! (Of course, these are hurtful to those whose digestive processes have become medicalized -- which is, one might say, lame.)

Re: the term "douche" or "douchebag" has always irritated me.

[donrickles.livejournal.com]

HA!!! I'm totally going to start using dongspritz!

[zooby.livejournal.com]

Can't we just play the "we're reclaiming the word to use it as we want" card? Because I like calling certain people d-bags and judging by my current work situation, I'm not going to stop anytime soon. I think certain words have that much more power simply because they are so taboo. Asshole just isn't enough in some cases. Personally, I just use motherfucker, which I suppose is equally sexist. Oh well.

[willietheshakes.livejournal.com]

Following my immersion in Deadwood, I've taken to using the word "cocksucker", which I'm uncomfortable with on a whole different level. Sure, it's gender neutral, but what a thing to base a pejorative on!

[idella]

I don't like it, I don't use it, and I think it's sexist.

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

To me it's become so disconnected from it's original meaning that I don't have a problem using it.

[queen-puff-puff.livejournal.com]

same here. I use it freely although I also like jackhole. It's a combo of jackass and asshole.

[bitsandb0bbins.livejournal.com]

this.

it is actually one of my favorite cursewords.

i can see how it might be construed as sexist, but as an insult toward a certain strain of entitled, rich persons, i feel it has no equal in the lexicon.

[lueread.livejournal.com]

It is sexist when you stop and think about it. But, it doesn't really bother me that much. I do love the idea of using dick-spritz and might start slipping that into my vocabulary.

Personally, I just like calling people (men/women) a "wanker".

That said, I call tend to use the phrase "dumbass motherfucker" more than I probably should.