Reply #25: People using the term should be fully aware of the conotations [View All]

[salin]

and if use them - know that they are being obnioxious and offensive.

I disagree with the above definition -

Have primarily seen the term used in two ways: refering to a very violent and humiliating blow given by a man to a woman (as in haul off so hard she gets hurled across the room); or in a prison type context where one inmate delivers a blind-siding takedown in order to humilate another prisoner into submission.

The reason the above connotation (in the thread originator) doesn't really hold, in terms of colloquial connotations - is the term is used to convery humiliation - and most women delivering the "slap" do not do so in a convincing enough way to deliver humiliation. This is not about the "bitch" doing the slapping it is about the "bitch" getting the slapping.

So users - know what you are saying if you use this term. Know that many readers will see it as willful use of language that has conjours up images of excessive domestic violence. And deal with the reprecussions (eg folks calling the gratuitious use of the term) as the same kind of free speech (of criticism) that was exercised in using the term. And if readers conjour up a particular image of the type of person who needs to bring visuals of domestic violence into their discussion to make their point... so be it. Not all readers - but some will. So do so not out of ignorance - but fully embracing your choice of language.