The word "douche'

[roody]

To a woman suffering an itchy yeast infection, a douche is a wonderful relief. A douche is a good thing and so is the douche bag you can use to give yourself a douche. A douche is also a shower. Using this word to insult is stupid and sexist. I guess a douche is bad because it touches a woman's vagina.

[JackInGreen]

1. Would "used douche" be acceptable?

[roody]

5. Used douche is the water that has

cleaned a vagina and carries away the yeasties and bacteria. Is that what you want to call someone?

[JackInGreen]

11. If I'm calling them used vaginal wash water

Accompanied by any applicable discharge, hell yes.

[saltpoint]

2. It's a shame Mike Huckabee isn't

still in the Republican primary race. It would be illuminating to ask him about this at a town hall.

[Major Nikon]

4. Can't we at least call him a dick?

Oh wait....nevermind.

[saltpoint]

7. : ) eom

[Aristus]

3. No. Douching is bad because it washes away normal vaginal flora.

Flora is good bacteria. In clinical medicine, we call it 'flora' because if we call it bacteria, people freak out.

But it's good bacteria. You want it to be there. It keeps bad bacteria away. Douching can leave you vulnerable to all kinds of vaginal infections; UTI's, bacterial vaginosis, and even yeast infections. When you have a yeast infection, douching is like adding fuel to the fire (or technically, eliminating something that can put out the fire, or keep it from becoming worse.) If you have adverse vaginal symptoms, don't douche. Go to the clinic and get examined. They'll put you on the appropriate treatment. And if they are as good at practicing clinical medicine as I am, they'll also tell you to stop douching.

[Major Nikon]

6. Flora kinda sounds like potpourri

[roody]

8. I haven't needed it for many years,

but got great relief when needed in the past.

[underahedgerow]

17. That's correct, it's just not an accepted practice anymore. And douche, in the rest of the world

is just French for 'shower'.

But I guess it's always ok to try to shame anyone for anything relating to genitals, for some reason. Shame on women for having vaginas!!!! Bad, bad women for having vaginas!

[Hassin Bin Sober]

18. A friend of mine lives in Germany.

He says "Vom douche" is an insult. It means you take warm showers. Tough crowd those Germans.

[Lilyhoney]

32. Ineffective at best, harmful at worst.

This is my understanding of the current reason to call someone a douche.

Thank you for your comment on douching.

[roamer65]

9. I'll refer you to Janeane Garofolo.

She loved to use that word when referring to the "moron formerly known as President".

[abelenkpe]

10. WTF?

No.

Do not douche. It's not a relief. It's bad for you.

What rock have been hiding under that you A. Did not know that and B. Have not heard people call someone a douche.

[Major Nikon]

12. I think it's gaining in popularity with the Trump campaign

[snooper2]

21. nobody calls anyone a douche, people like Trump are a douchebag

which technically isn't a word

[Demonaut]

13. whatever.................

[herding cats]

14. It's not what you think.

It's an outdated concept which has nothing to do with feminine hygiene in this day and age. It also causes yeast infections, it doesn't help them.

Catch up. It's an increasingly antiquated phrase, since most women 40 and below don't have any personal reference for the phrase.

[TheFrenchRazor]

15. anything specifically female is a guaranteed insult among lots of folks. nothing new there. nt

[moriah]

16. I had been reluctant to reference South Park's...

"Douche and Turd" episode, despite the fact the likely unpopularity contest in the GE makes it remarkably appropriate, because of potential sexism.

However, douching excessively is unhealthy as the body can clear up even a yeast infection with other medications besides vinegar and water stripping natural lubrication from the vagina. So even if it's sexist because it references something that touches a vajayjay, douches are NOT recommended by any reputable gynecological agency.

But if you'll understand why these snippets are meant, and not be terribly offended....

[yellowcanine]

19. I resolve to use "dirtbag" in the future as the need arises.

[blogslut]

20. Nope

Douching is bad. The whole concept is based in making woman feel shame about their vaginas. If you get a yeast infection there are plenty of topical OTC products that will alleviate discomfort.

[phleshdef]

22. Not sexist. Don't care who thinks it is. Still using it.

End of story. Fuck the word police.

[LanternWaste]

23. I blame conversations about sexism and word usage on the mythical 'word police' as well.

I blame conversations about sexism and word usage on the mythical 'word police' as well. Granted, there's no evidence to really support our allegation, but ours is a battle of righteousness and freedom and doesn't require logic, rational thought or tolerance for anyone.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

24. a douche is never good. it's not good for your health.

[Blue_Adept]

25. Words have multiple meanings!

Or so I read. Sometimes I read though.

[MosheFeingold]

26. Epithet used in WWII

I can't believe I am this old, but no. I was on the ground floor of this insult and saw it grow.

It's a WWII insult, the origin of which was when a quartermaster (or someone) ordered thousands of douche bags instead of whatever he was supposed to order (I think some sort of rubber thing that inflated to stop bleeding), which was obviously next to useless in a military that was 99% male.

It came to mean "unfit for military service" and was applied to recruits that were unfit, usually due to bad attitude, in contrast to 4F, which was physically unable.

After the war, it came to represent men who were unfit for anything serious, generally due to crappy attitude.

So, no, it has only an indirect relation to a woman's vagina and should not be deemed sexist.

[MosheFeingold]

28. For further meaning

It also just meant "wrong part."

As in, did you get the new head space tool for the Ma Duece?

"No, they just sent us a douche bag."

[Jack Bone]

29. thanks...ya learn something new everyday nt.

[3catwoman3]

30. Fascinating word history.

Thank you so much. I love stuff like this!

[MosheFeingold]

31. To stir things up

I am thinking about using the word "niggardly" in conversation.

http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/02/niggardly_is_not_a_bad_word.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversies_about_the_word_%22niggardly%22

Just b/c I am in that kind of mood.

[3catwoman3]

33. I will give myself props for knowing the meaning of...

...niggardly. It would be interesting to know what percent of the population does know this word - mighty few, I am guessing.

I once ended a dating relationship with a guy who told me I would "have to stop using such big words." I asked for clarification, and the example he gave was "ambivalent." I had been feeling rather ambivalent about him. After that, I no longer was.

[3catwoman3]

36. What a wonderfully...

...well-written article in The Root. Thanks for that link.

I find myself, from time to time, dumbing down my vocabulary or my pronunciation, based on my expectation of people's lack of knowledge. I almost never pronounce "err" or "ideology" as they were originally intended, thinking my listeners will think I am the one in error.

[MosheFeingold]

39. I have a pretty thick accent

Even after all these years. (I was a child in a Polish/German town prior to WWII.)

So I get a pass.

I can do a wonderful Henry Kissinger impression.

[The Straight Story]

27. We are on the brink of having trump fuck our country up, Iraq is fighting hard in fallujah

and you're focused on douches.

Yeah, our party is fucked.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

34. Can't... resist... urge... to... post...

[milestogo]

35. Agreed.

But I've noticed that sexist remarks are heavily defended on DU. The greatest insult you can throw at a man is to call him a douchebag, since there can be nothing more disgusting that a woman's vagina...

[3catwoman3]

37. "...since there can be nothing more disgusting that a woman's vagina."

Unless the man in question wants one of his body parts in one.

[MosheFeingold]

38. Like

Putz, schmuck, tool, dick, etc. aren't also insults.

But, again, see post above explaining the actual etymology of the phrase/term "douche bag"

[milestogo]

40. 99.9% of people are throwing around the douchebag insult

are associating it with the female body.

The fact that there are also male body part nicknames used as insults is no excuse.