Monday, January 20, 2014

GYNOCENTRIC BITCH?!

First of all, I’m going to begin my logging experience by stating that feminism is a VERY HARD subject to write on for me. It is so broad and pertinent to human existence. I see it in everything from the newly implemented anti-homosexual bill in Nigeria to my breakfast cereal! And to begin to discuss it more definitively is like going down a never ending hole. I can begin with a slut-shaming piece and find myself in a debate about polyandry, AND feel as though they are both directly connected. However, I have made up my mind to find a platform to log my observations, convictions and responses to my social environment on this site.

Now I’ll get right to the name of the site- Gynocentric Bitch. Is this not an oxymoron? How can I, who claims to have women’s interests at heart, still use one of the most derogatory terms there ever was to refer to myself as one?  

I am neither angry (at least not always), nor man-hating (I hate the man-exalting culture), nor unfeminine (whatever that means) but I am passionate, assertive and irreverent of men. If that makes me a bitch, then many thanks!

It is a welcome word in my vocabulary but I do understand that it is not for everyone so I do not presumptuously refer to other women as bitches, unless they permit me to (or behind their backs, nevertheless often with goodwill).

For me ,“bitch” is a word intended for use by women only. It will take some well-earned trust for me to hear it from a member of the opposite sex and be okay with it, gay or straight. I do not yet know how I feel about a transgender using it. But for now, I consider it a potentially uplifting word that we may use in our womany conversations as a reminder that it is okay to be called a bitch if it comes from a good place (a well-meaning fellow woman). But if it’s already been said with malicious intent and the reasons have to do with standing your ground as a woman, then take it with pride.


I will be closing here, but I will do a more in-depth post of the meanings of “bitch” and what I think about them. For now, it’s on the blog for good!