I want to reclaim my C.U.N.T back please?
CUNT Is probably the worst or of the worst swear word, insult that you can use in the English language. It is usually said in a very aggressive, angry and volatile way. Although in Ireland it used more frequently with less offence taken.
“c-word” or “C U Next Tuesday.”
Is the most jarring this word is, to most of us. Even for the most potty-mouthed of individuals, this word is avoided.
However, CUNT actually is the correct word to describe the whole of the women’s genitalia (in a neutral, non-derogatory way). A Sanskrit translation would be YONI (a woman’s sacred space) Not Vagina – a vagina is just one part of a woman’s genitalia It’s the inner entrance, channel tunnel from the vulva into the cervix.
As we don’t use the word cunt, we don’t have a social an expectable word which doesn’t make us feel shame or discomfort. This is where lot of confusion, mis -understanding and poor education lead to lots of issues on how a woman understands and explores her sexuality. It’s very common in the UK to call a female vulva and vagina – a front bottom – I mean really! Is this how we want to describe the most sacred parts of a female’s body to our daughters as an arse? Something that we discreet our shit out of? Absolutely not! Or the vulva as a pussy is more derogatory meaning coward.
So how did it turn into one of the obscenest insults?
Through the rise of Christianity (patriarchy in disguise), women and women’s sexuality were labelled uncontrollable and evil. Women were said to be linked to the devil. Leading Witch hunts where woman were tortured and executed. All for just being a woman.
- For being connected with their bodies and cycle
- for being sexually wild human beings.
- For having a deep connection to the earth and the moon. For being able to make healing medicine out of herbs.
- For being able to guide a woman through pregnancy and labour.
- For enjoying sex for their own pleasure not just to procreate or to please a man.
- For being a great threat to patriarchy and the church’s values
Cunt should be a positive, powerful word
CUNT actually is a positive word for female genitals. It means power, knowledge and deep wisdom.
“‘Cunt’ is related to words from India, China, Ireland, Rome, and Egypt. Such words were either titles of respect for women, priestesses, and witches or derivatives of the names of various goddesses… Negative reactions to ‘cunt’ resonate from a learned fear of ancient yet contemporary, inherent yet lost, reviled yet redemptive cunt power.”
—Inga Muscio, author of Cunt: A Declaration of Independence
Although we have moved forward from the witch hunts We’re still living with the effects of this today in our blood and our bones.
Language is powerful. Unfortunately, a small, narrow group of mostly white men have shaped the language that we know and use today in the West. There was a clear agenda: man = good and powerful, woman = evil and worthless.
Words are powerful, the damage done to the word CUNT cannot be undone overnight. It takes time, subtle shifts, generations of little steps forward.
I am not expecting everyone reading this to go around using the word Cunt daily, (although it is liberating even just to let the word roll out of your mouth a few times knowing the power that it holds) but for you to know the truth when you hear the word cunt spoken. Maybe pass on this wisdom to your daughters, sisters and friends. Remember the true meaning of the word and how it has been stolen from you and other women Inform others spread the word reclaim your power!
My teacher Uma Dinsmore Tuli, author of Yoni Shakti – Cunt Power explains this beautifully in this video linked below
With love and respect
Dionne x
