There was a time when I was much younger that I’d cringe when a girl called another girl a bitch as a term of endearment. I thought it wasn’t cool and that it was a show of ignorance about this word. When I started to question the power structures in society much later, I realized that women had been claiming and reclaiming words that were used by patriarchal society to hurt and shame us. And reclaiming what was meant to put us in our place is now actually a source of empowerment, liberation and laughter.

In recent times I remember having a heated discussion about the use of the term “bitch“ by a male to a female. It was unnerving to say the least. While he probably has a different view now, I remember being told by the guy how it was “cool“ for a man to call women bitches because it has a new meaning these days. I didn’t agree because why would a man feel comfortable calling a woman a bitch as though he could reclaim it himself without having the necessary lived experiences of a self-identified woman? I can compare this with how black people call each other the “n“ word and how I’d probably get my ass beat up if I called any black person that. You can’t get away with something like that, and I don’t think any man should for trying to use the word bitch on a woman. “Sup bitch?” or “Bitch I’m back“ are welcome from women but from a man? Nah.

With that said, cheers to all the bitches, whores and cunts out there! Patriarchy is tough but we are more resilient!