Cunt.

It's amazing how a little word can create such a big stir. As Germaine Greer duly stated, this is one of the few words in the English language that still retains its ability to shock. Why is that?

There are so many derogatory names for other anatomical parts that we have used to degrade one another. Like, "that guy is an asshole", or "what a prick". But calling someone a cunt is a jaw-dropper. One can never be at a party, and say, "Man, my boss was such a cunt today", without having everyone within hearing shot swivel their necks to size up the person who could utter such profanity. If you use the word cunt, at least in North America, there is no turning back. You've been imprinted in a way that cannot be undone. You have sunk to the lowest level of vulgarity that language has to offer.

Over in the UK, on the other hand, the word cunt is apparently used much more lightly. It's not too unusual to be called a "daft cunt" by ones boss on a bad day, or be called "a silly little cunt" by one's Scottish grandmother when being..... silly (the latter actually derives from a story I was told about someone's granny). Why, in fact, I actually called my dad a "handy little cunt" the other day after he reported to have made a fancy meal for his friend.

But down at the bottom of it all, this name-calling business is deeply rooted in patriarchy. Apparently, cunt derives from the ancient word 'kunta', which means 'female genitalia' in the Sumerian language of ancient Iraq. In some other eastern and African languages, 'kunta' means 'woman'. Another spelling is 'quna', which is a root word for 'queen'. Many priestesses in ancient times, who possessed great power and skills as scribes, were referred to as 'kunta'. But with the rise of patriarchy, women were dispossessed of their status, and the conquerers appropriated such things as language, changing the meanings of empowering words to rather imply degradation and evil.

Feminists have tried to reclaim this word for these reasons, and also the reason that a name for the female genitalia should not have degrading implications. It should be a word of power. But no matter how much I have wanted to join in this campaign, I have not been able to say this word without the expectation that the recipient will not be blatantly shocked. I have never walked into my doctor's office and said, "there is something going on with my cunt". And if you can't say it to your doctor with wholesome intentions, who can you say it to? I am up against an entire culture that views the female genitalia as a dirty little secret. And the word 'cunt' is all part of this very impolite, uncivilized, yet powerful part of women.

We all enter the world through kunta; through woman. Women are supposed to be sacred, life-giving vessels. Yet cunt, an ancient sacred word, remains to be one of the most devastating words in North American culture. I guess that really says something. But I think the word, despite its apparent savageness, is incredibly provocative and intriguing. How much you want to bet that today's blog gets the most hits?