Why do some females feel that it's ok to refer to themselves and other females as "bitches"?

Perhaps it was like an old sixties singer, Mary Wells sang – a case of “You Beat Me To The Punch”?

I loved that song when I was kid:

Mary Wells

Many people will use some startling language among themselves, it isn’t unusual. Women seem to like being regarded as bitches if the number of bumper stickers on cars driven by women is an indication.

People in any group may take liberties with slang terms among themselves that they would not put up with hearing from others. Certain racial epithets also come to mind.

Quite simply, because some of us are
No seriously, its all about the context. When talking to friends, you can say anything if they understand your intent. As for those who use it in a derogatory way, it’s become the word to describe wicked, nasty girls. Besides the fact that it’s mean, I don’t see how it’s any more derrogatory than “jerk” is for a guy..but that’s just how I see it.

I believe, as it is for cultural groups and racial epithets, that it is a way to take control of the word. The more you use it yourself the less power it has to hurt you.

(not to say that I like to hear it personally but I suppose it is our right to take control of what harms us)

In echo to what @RedPowerLady says, to take the power behind the word. The Bitch word was used to often try and knock a few notches from a successful working woman in a position usually occupied by men. Women saw the power of the word, wanted to take the power back and lessen the derogatory implication. Now a lot of women see the word Bitch used in association with assertive, ambitious, non patronizing, female empowerment- leader of the “real” pack which is the birthing-of-all pack.

maybe they know those girls better than you do.

A friend’s daughter, who is in a sorority at a southern college, refers to her sorority sisters as, “hos.” As in, “I went on a cruise over spring break with my hos.”

Most words that were once taboo are now used in everyday language. My little 2 year grandson says Fuck all the time, and there’s nothing I can do about it. His mother uses all the words I formerly cringed at, so I have decided I must get used to it. The little girl next door used to call everybody Asshole. I hear it all the time in the mall. There is no such thing as ‘foul’ language anymore.

@YARNLADY – You better be making the sad face at him when he says that!!!

It won’t do any good, his mother talks like that all the time. He will eventually learn that I don’t approve of or use certain words, but right now, I’m just happy he stops at the curbs when running down the street.

Edit: I probably unconsciously do make a sad face, and I bet he catches on real fast.

Here is the way I see it. Some men think it is an insult, such as I once asked an educated man what the female version of a misogynist and he said “a frigid bitch.” It also often, when used by a male, refers to a woman who will not behave in a fashion the male considers desirable. Therefore I consider it a compliment. I am a bitch and proud of it, it has taken me 64 years to reach my current level of bitchiness and I revel in it. To me it means I am my own woman, I do it my way and I love it.

Besides that the true meaning is a female dog and since I like and respect most dogs and find them to be more loyal and trustworthy than a lot of humans, I would never consider it an insult to be likened to them.

Like some have been saying: some women simply view the word as an appropriate term to refer to themselves and are simply not offended by it. Also, it could be due to the fact that when a person uses a word that is used to be offensive to themselves by other people, they are indicating that they have the same power over the word that those who would normally do the offending do. But if you are offended by it, then people should not use it to describe you if you don’t like it. It’s that simple.

My theorem on this matter, one that often results in me getting tarred and feathered is this: No word is always offensive. No word is permanently offensive. Some are more offensive than others, but some simply change how offensive they are. It depends on the context of how its used. Sometimes the word may be offensive under certain circumstances and in others it may not be offensive. I never understand why people who argue against that are so into the whole “black and white” aspect of a word’s power…it’s entirely gray.

People should be trying to lessen the power of offensive terms rather than preserve their power. I am against telling someone that they should be offended by something. No one should feel like have to be offended by anything.

What is there to gain from understanding this?

If they want to refer to themselves this way it is their right, ridiculous or not.

It’s not your problem unless they refer to you in that way.

i call women a lot of things. i also call men a lot of things.

I cant stand when another chick calls me a bitch, playing around or not. Its rude, degrading, and signifies that they are lacking the necessary vocabulary for another decent title.

don’t know
i’ve seen you call other women ‘whores’
why do you do that?

because they are whores.

@Facade so the reason then people call others bitches is because they think they are bitches

I’ve heard the “N” word used in much the same context, young black men, speaking and joking among themselves.