A colleague at work was called "harsh and brash" (by another woman), so that is what we use now instead of "bitch."

I get the feeling there was an incident that prompted this blog post.

I'm a bitch, too. Been one for years!

One time, I was partying with a bunch of people, had been at a gig, it was late. Toy Caldwell (yes, that Toy Caldwell, god rest his soul) offered me a "boot", his way of asking if I wanted to snort a line of coke and "get friendly". I politely declined, not only because I knew he was married, but because I wasn't into coke at that point in my life. He said "You're a bitch, you know that?" and I said, "well, yeah, but not the kind of bitch you think I am." and walked out of the room, down the hall to where some of my other friends were. About 20 minutes later, he came up to me again and said "no, you're not a bitch, are you?" and gave me a hug. We smiled at each other and that was that. He just knew.

If that's the definition of bitch, then I'm a bitch too.

A tweet I remember:

My ex-wife had a really weird fetish. She liked to dress up as herself then act like a bitch all the time.

I am very proud to be a bitch. Where I work, we actually fight over the title. We take turns being bitch goddesses.

You're not a bitch. You are THE bitch!

There are a lot of reasons a woman gets called a bitch. Some more appropriate than others.

Amy, what's your opinion of the book "Getting in Touch With Your Inner Bitch"?

While Miss Manners (no doormat) would clearly never approve of the title, I have the impression, at least, that the book is certainly not about treating others as doormats - just standing up for yourself. Or am I wrong?

I don't think it's necessary to become a bitch for a woman (or anyone) to assert themselves. On the contrary, being bitchy about it reveals a certain insecurity.

On the contrary, being bitchy about it reveals a certain insecurity.

Yes, it does.

The instant reversion to emasculating insult does necessarily require a woman, though.

Nothing to be proud of.

Patrick, you are missing the point. Women are called bitches simply for asserting themselves no matter how they do it. A man in the exact same situation would just be described as standing up for himself. A woman is called a bitch for standing up for herself.

"...well, yeah, but not the kind of bitch you think I am." Thank you, Flynne - stealing!

I'm trying to think back, and other than a couple of bad short-term boyfriends, I can't recall a single time that a man has ever called me a bitch. Women, yes, but no men.

I'm Bitch on my mother's side, but the Crone on my paternal grandma's side is coming through more as I age.

Some people get called bitch for just doing their job. Somebody said of the previous game warden "That bitch wrote me a ticket." Of course if it had been a man the same person would have said "that son of a bitch wrote me a ticket."

Oh, please. You think men who stand up for themselves aren't called names? You think women are the only one who aren't labelled for being assertive.

Trust me, I've been called names plenty of times for refusing to lend money, or deciding not to do a favor for someone. Even to the point of being bullied for refusing. This is not some phenomenon that victimizes one gender.

Do women get it worse than men? Maybe. Maybe not.

Mrs D gets "you're rude" a lot. It's not her store, and they're not her rules.

It says a lot about the intelligence of the kind of person who would get rude with someone who is just doing her job.

I think men are more likely to get called an ass where a woman would be called a bitch.

Personally, I never understood why being compared to a dog (boy or girl) is a bad thing. Dogs can be smart and loyal... unless maybe the comparison is in toilet habits.

heh, I've always been proud of the day I found my inner Bitch. It was the day I told my Ex to pack his shit or pick it up from the front porch.

Toy Caldwell (yes, that Toy Caldwell,

Yes, of Marshall Tucker...a fine band.

Flynne, in a funny coincidence, since we talking about Ian Hunter here recently, he was one of the acts who played at our three day arts/music festival, Bumbershoot, over Labor Day weekend. I saw him, and really liked the show, but I also wasn't blown away (I find his voice a little grating.) He had a crack band -- with a lead guitarist who looked like the actor Benecio del Toro -- and, of course, closed with "All The Young Dudes" and, also of course, had the audience singing along on the chorus.

Now, on the other hand, Keane was (or, as the Brits would say, were) fantastic.

> I'm Bitch on my mother's side

A favorite joke from a male comic: "I was looking back at the family tree the other day... Turns out, I'm half woman...."



> Dogs can be smart and loyal...

I remember something in a movie about that... How in the 18th/19th-century Europe, dog-themed trinkets were given as gifts to betoken devotion and fidelity.

Had a patient at the hospital loudly call me a bitch; my charge nurse jumped in and said, "You picked the wrong nurse, she ain't, I AM and I'M YOUR NURSE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY."

Fun to watch....

>> remember something in a movie about that... How in the 18th/19th-century Europe, dog-themed trinkets were given as gifts to betoken devotion and fidelity.

I want to see that movie- I've never heard of that! (not being a dick- I would like to see what you are talking about.)

Bitch, cunt, slut--I claim 'em all.

Kate, you ingonrant slut...

Kate, I'm drinking wine, you ignorant slut... jk-

Crikey- we hit freezing the last two mornings!

There is a difference between the 'bitch' that doesn't take shit and the bitch who just doesn't give a f*ck about anyone and walks all over them. Unfortunately, women who do the latter have claimed the name as if they were doing the former. Same as people who talk about being brutally honest...honesty with kindness is best; *you* just wanna be brutal.
I try to be a bitch of the first sort and try not to be a bitch of the latter sort...when someone calls me a bitch, I try to figure out which I was being, so I know whether to continue such behavior or find an alternative.

"There is a difference between the 'bitch' that doesn't take shit and the bitch who just doesn't give a f*ck about anyone and walks all over them"

Real bitch vs. Honey Badger Bitch?

I take bitch as a compliment. Generally it means I've won. :D

I ♥ Amy. She's generally the most honest person I have encountered.

Hahahaha @ Feebie. Honey Badger Bitch is great.

Surprisingly I've only been called a bitch once.

Women want their men to act like men (ie. with masculinity) - that much is a given. The corollary is that men want their women to act like women.

Been my experience that a man who asserts himself is called a "dick."

"Lend me five bucks so I can buy a pack of cigarettes."

"No."

"Dick."

If he was starving and needed food, I'd buy him some. But I absolutely loathe tobacco and I refuse to support anyone's use of it.

If you're female, you'll be called "bitch" (even) when you firmly, politely refuse to let others take advantage.

Sometimes a woman is called a "bitch", unfairly, simply because, as you noted, she stands up for herself.

But sometimes a woman is called a "bitch", fairly, because she's acting like a bitch.