(NSFW) When did the word "douchebag" first come into circulation as a slur?

The mid to late fifties is my guess. I believe it was part of the vocabulary of the new “hipster”, or greaser, as we surfers used to call them. They were the ones with the heavily Brillcreamed ductail hairstyles, the black electrician boots, Levi 501s, black leather or jean jackets, shades, and large mortorcycles or muscle cars as depicted by Marlon Brando (The Wild One, 1953) and James Dean (Rebel Without a Cause, 1955). The makers of these movies had been exposed to a new American subculture, a group of mortorcycle terrorists made up of former USAF bomber crews, probably suffering major PTSD, calling themselves the “Hells Angels” in nearby San Bernadino, California. They were much different than the laid back surfers which, along with beatniks, became the precursors to hippies. Ngram bears this out.

I first heard it in college in the very early 70’s and didn’t know what it meant. I must have had a sheltered childhood.

Since this is in social I will add that I wish this wasn’t a slur. We should go back to calling horrible people assholes since everyone has one.

I think I first heard the term in the early 60’s, when I attended Ridgemont Van Nuys High.

Wait! That is a slur? I thought it was just an adjective used in association with the vast majority of politicians.

Whatever day it was, it was a great one.

“Jerk” to me seems generic and broad compared to “douchebag.”

1963 according to Merriam-Webster’s 11th ed.

Thanks @kritiper. The fact that it took so long for such a term to enter the popular vernacular just goes to show that ours is truly a a male dominated society to a very crushing extent. I was in my mid 20s before I even understood what a douche bag was. I’d actually seen the things, and taken them for hot water bottles.

The first usage of douchebag/douche bag that I could find in the pejorative sense dates back to at least 1951, in the classic novel by James Jones, (1) From Here to Eternity (here it is used an adjective):

“The trouble with you, Pete,” the voice that did not seem to come with him but from the cigarette, said savagely, “is that you can’t see further than that douchebag nose of yours.”
—From here to Eternity, by James Jones, 2012 (1951) Dial Press, p. 307. NOTE: The novel is set in 1941.

So douchebag seems to have been used in a vulgar context as far back as World War II or thereabouts. It’s worth noting, however, that this is the ONLY usage of the type found in 1950’s literature: all other examples of douchebag/douche bag refer to medicine or hygiene. I doubt the term was in popular currency at the time.

The next such usage doesn’t appear until 1964, in a stream-of-consciousness passage of another famous novel, Hubert Selby’s (2) Last Exit to Brooklyn:

“…and she yelled to Jack to come on and she’s not fuckin’ blind not like that fuckin’ douchebag he was with and someone yelled we’re coming and she was dragged down the steps …”
This dialogue occurs about mid-book. By the author’s request there are no page numbers to this book.

Sources:
1) Google Books

2) Google Books’%20douchebag%20he%20was%20with%20and%20someone%20yelled%20we’re%20coming%20and%20she%20was%20dragged%20down%20the%20steps%22&f=false

It’s such a pussy word to be used as an insult, like something a spotty nerd teen would say because mommy don’t like him to curse.

It’s been in long-term use in New England. I remember hearing it decades ago. I never said it, though; I aspired to be a young lady. All these years later, I’m still trying, although I dropped the “young” part ages ago.

^ Interesting as when I hear “douchebag” used as a pejorative it is that special kind of Snookiesque yank that first comes to mind.

@SecondHandStoke I agree. Douchebag has way more bite than Jerk. You tell someone “that guy is a jerk” they’ll doubt you and ask why. Tell them “that guy is a douchebag” and they’ll take your word for it. You don’t call someone a douchebag lightly.

I think it sucks that one minute society is salivating over the sexual aspects of women, and the next they use the particular female body parts or functions used in that sexual salivation as an insult.

I have never understood that line in that song, “Blinded by the light. Wrapped up like a douche, another rumor in the night….”

It was popular in the 70’s and 80’s. Not so much now, at least not where I live and work.

@Dutchess_III

Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night…

I’ve always thought, though, that Manfred Mann deliberately slurred “deuce” to make it naughty.

Oh. My friend’s couldn’t figure it out either.

I too remember it from the 70’s, it’s been around forever, just like me now. lol