Should Women Swear?

[sbk]

And why is this even still a discussion?

Very interesting article at Jezebel points that out

By Erin Gloria Ryan

Gals, have you ever woken up in the morning and thought, Gee, whiz. I sure do hope someone who I do not know personally gives me directions on how I should conduct myself during my daily life as though I'm a gurgling, guileless idiot today? (Every morning!) Then I'm about to make your dreams come true — some brave etiquette heroes have offered their unsolicited advice about what sort of language you should be using in your workplace.

Another author was equally annoyed that we're still, during the yeare of our Lourde two thousand and twelve having conversations about how ladies should act so as not to offend.

What is this? The 1840s? A lady shall never wear pants, she shall never use coarse verbiage, and she shall always ride sidesaddle!

And this is the part that is spot on

What's disturbing (maybe not disturbing — annoying) to me about this whole undead "let's all weigh in on how ladies should act!" discussion is that it inevitably leads us to a question of how much sound it's acceptable for women to make. Space and resources are for the men, and so in order to Woman correctly, we need to be passive, shrinking, silent. If you're a fat lady, you're offensive because you're taking up too much space. If you're a loud lady, you're offensive because you're taking up too many soundwaves. If you're swearing, you're ruffling too many feathers. If you're drinking, you're having too much fun. If you're sexy, you're drawing too much attention to yourself. If you're ugly, you're a useless waste of space — why aren't you more quiet and decorative? I'm fine with people in general being courteous to one another, but courtesy is different than telling an entire class of people that they need to shut up.

Read the entire article here http://jezebel.com/5951388/<deleted>-yes-you-should-swear-at-work

[MAJIC]

Should Women Swear?

It doesn't sound good on either Sex,but as the old Adage says: "Whats good for the Goose is Good for the Gander"

Edited October 14, 2012 by MAJIC

[submaniac]

Hmmm...I think SBK you know this about me...but the ex gf was a police officer with the LAPD. Cops swear...and oh how do they swear. Like her and her other female cop friends getting together and just swearing. And it was kind of a job necessity. Like the male cops swear, so they don't want to show they're any softer than the men and, on the streets, they girls do it to show the bad guys on the street that they mean business too. Frankly it never bothered me; I found it rather endearing to be honest.

[TommoPhysicist]

In the UK a police person who swore at me would have a complaint filed against them.

Don't care if they were a man or a woman.

In the workplace they would be reported for sexual harassment, and if they persisted, dismissed.

Nobody should swear while working.

[submaniac]

USA is very different from UK.

USA--> guns are legal for civilians and prevalent.

UK--> cops don't even carry guns normally

UK-->national health service, mentally ill are treated

USA--> no one wants to pay to help the mentally ill so we let them loose on the streets

Of course when dealing with people normally, no she wouldn't swear. Like if she was arresting someone she would be professional and courteous as much as possible. I mean she wouldn't just arrest someone and be like you f'ing so and so. But if someone refused to lay prone on the ground so they could be arrested and was resisting (perhaps high on drugs) something like "stay the 'f down" is what I'm talking about. Something like that...a complaint for using coarse language is going no where.

[sbk]

I swear. My sisters swear. We don't swear at other people in fact, we were all taught to treat other people with courtesy, something that can be lacking without having to swear.

[phuturatica]

I swear a lot. I don't do it in an impolite way though and I'm mainly swearing very casually in conversation.

[TommoPhysicist]

But if someone refused to lay prone on the ground so they could be arrested and was resisting (perhaps high on drugs) something like "stay the 'f down" is what I'm talking about. Something like that...a complaint for using coarse language is going no where.

Interesting concept, why would anyone lie on the ground for any reason?

Policeman asks me to lie on the ground, I say no, I'm not a coward, and if they think they can shoot me for that and get away with it ..... bring it on!

Cowards die many times, I only intend to die once.

[sbk]

Dude, this thread is not about you, cheers

[cougar]

Nobody swears nowadays. They just reproduce well worn cliches. When somebody really swears you know it, you're shocked. Swearing is about broaching taboo subjects. A middle class woman saying "f*** i*" is about as effective as Rhett saying "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a dam_n". Sex (the middle aged woman) , and religeon (Rhett) are no longer taboo subjects (Islam excepted). But there are plenty I think. The point about swearing is it is offensive to many people.

[TwoDogz]

No they should not.

Foul language out of a sweet little gal is just so nasty.

[rijb]

Like men, women need to swear and they need to fart. Or else they will explode!

[submaniac]

But if someone refused to lay prone on the ground so they could be arrested and was resisting (perhaps high on drugs) something like "stay the 'f down" is what I'm talking about. Something like that...a complaint for using coarse language is going no where.

Interesting concept, why would anyone lie on the ground for any reason?

Policeman asks me to lie on the ground, I say no, I'm not a coward, and if they think they can shoot me for that and get away with it ..... bring it on!

Cowards die many times, I only intend to die once.

Umm...so you could be searched for weapons and other dangerous items when arrested? It could go two ways they can let you remain standing and cuff you, or they can make you lie prone on the ground, cuff you then search you for weapons (knives, guns), needles (because cops are kind of worried about transmitting the HIV virus to their family), drugs, etc. Usually the lie on the ground approach is used if what you did is particularly nasty or you pose a greater threat to them.

[endure]

I used to rent a room off a toff - Eton, Oxford and all that. To hear a crystal-clear upper class voice saying 'fack orf' is just magical

[Baerboxer]

Swearing usually demonstrates that someone has lost their temper or has a poor education and low command of vocabulary. Some cultures swear more than others as part of their normal conversation. Go to Eire and you'll here far more swearing than in the UK. This is not gender different. I lived in India for several years. Middle and Upper class Indian ladies thought is was "cool" to swear in normal conversation. (Many were keen to have foreign boyfriends at the time too, along with smoking and drinking expensive cocktails). All part of their fashionable culture at that time and place. They were demonstrating their independence in a very male dominated society.

Similarly, young people copied swearing from films and televsion. Film and programme makers put swear words in for the same reasons they included violence and sex scenes. It helps push the viewing ratings up.

Women should not feel obliged to use swear words as some kind of "equality" statement. If they do, they are equating themselves with the uneducated and unthinking. Men should resist the temptation to be profane, especially when in public company and with their families.

[rijb]

I think I'm going to be sick.

Let's make all women who swear, wear a rag from head to toe. How dare they try to be equal to men that swear.

[stoneyboy]

It's similar to saying women don't masturbate or fart isn't it.

Edited October 22, 2012 by stoneyboy

[pmem]

It's a free world or partly. but don't whinge when you are labelled a dog.

[TwoDogz]

It's a free world or partly. but don't whinge when you are labelled a dog.

Agreed...

[Krupnik]

I remember when working as a PA for an engineering company back in Blighty where all my colleagues were men, some quite loud-mouthed. When ever someone swore they would say "don't speak like that, she is here!" After a while they just got used to it again and continued to speak with their routine swearing, sometimes even in official meetings that I was minuting! (I found it very entertaining.) I thought it was quite cute that they felt it inappropriate to swear in front of the new girl in the office.

I swear casually between close friends but never at people and never at work or around strangers. People who swear loudly tend to have the stigma of being low class, for some reason it seems more so for a woman, have to admit.

[pxlgirl]

I'd also only swear among closed friends, but never among co-workers or strangers.

[eek]

Personally, I dont like hearing people swear - male or female. I can live with it, i can ignore it, but just dont like it. Bf is Aussie, when he gets back from a stint in the mines...well you can imagine! Makes me cringe! FUnny thing is though, i rarely swear, and if i do, he hates it.. BLOODY double standards there!

Problem too is, when im around people that swear, it can rub off on me. So end up finding it crawls into my general vocabulary without me meaning it to. So prefer not to have that around me too much. (Same too with people who may drop "like" a lot in their sentences. ie: "you know, like, i went to the shop, like and like, you know, i ..." ..sorry, as un pc as this may sound, that kind of talking does my head in, and i know if im around it, i may pick up on it, and want to shoot myself. YES, i am THAT influenced by others way of talking, as much as i really dont mean to be!) (ive recently been accused of lilting my voice up the way aussies do..grr. :/ Bf influence!)

Actually, getting back on topic, i recently spent an evening with a friend of a friend from London. She is a really tiny slender beautiful girl with soft features. What came out of her mouth mostly all night was "yeh man, <deleted> that eh. Yehhhh mother F**cker"..etc. Lol. I actually found it a (one night) novelty, because of the accent and everything...but honestly i would actually have a problem with going for a nice dinner somewhere or sitting in a coffee shop with someone (male or female) who swears to that degree. I really wouldnt be able to see past it.

So no, in general, for everyday conversation, i dont like women (or men) swearing.

Doesnt mean i dont use them, but only when i feel warranted, or when i stub my toe or something.

People who stub their toe or hit their thumb with a hammer and dont swear, are just plain weird!

[TwoDogz]

Wonder if Carradine swore in the closet ?

[Mosha]

A woman can swear, a lady shouldn't. A man can swear, a gentleman shouldn't. (Unless he opens the door and finds a bloody snake in the house. At that point all bets are off)

[rene123]

I think we are all big girls now. We should know when to swear and when not to. It can be offensive in some situations and not a blip on the radar screen in others. Vulgarity can actually be funny if a comedian on stage uses it properly and in context. Swearing is so common now that nobody should really be offended. It's no longer the 1800s.

[MiG16]

Im probably the only footie hooligan (disclaimer - the term is used liberally) who is too prim and proper to swear

although, that sounds like an oxymoron - a hooligan thats prim and proper