Bitch
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- This article is about a term for a female dog or an insult. For other uses of this word see Bitch (disambiguation).
A bitch is a female dog or other member of the canidae family. In colloquial use, the word bitch is often employed insultingly to describe a woman as malicious, spiteful, domineering, intrusive, unpleasant or sexually promiscuous (although the final connotation is mostly used in Continental European circles); it may also be used to refer to a male subordinate to another male (especially in prison to show domination over another). A bitch can also refer to somebody, most commonly a woman, who is rude or inconsiderate.
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[edit] General usage
The former specialised meaning is retained and in widespread use among dog aficionados and breeders, but derogatory usage has become so prevalent in the last century that the term has acquired a profane connotation and is often considered unacceptable by broadcasting regulations and Standards & Practices manuals. It was first used on U.S. television in the 1980s on the nighttime soap opera Dynasty, but has only recently been removed from the FCC's list of "grossly offensive" words, meaning that if said in the right context, it is permissible.
By extension, the adjective "bitchy" — unpleasant, fretful or querulous — and the verb "to bitch" — to complain, especially habitually and without any helpful intentions — are also used, although they are widely considered less offensive than the noun. Neither the adjective or the verb are normally used in formal language.
Under the impulse of second-wave feminism, some women began to reclaim the word bitch, subverting its original, derisive meaning by instead using "bitch" to celebrate the qualities of strong, capable women. The 1968 BITCH Manifesto by Joreen is a perfect example of reclamation; in the words of Joreen, "Bitch is Beautiful."
Integral recognition of the female character, with its inherent ambiguities, is expressed not only using the traditional caring roles of lover and mother - considered by many to be assigned to women in a patriarchal division of labour - as well as their idealized extreme in sainthood; but also in their counterparts, whose nature has been often denied.
Some feminist theories state that women are often defined in terms of their relationships with others, with men being allowed more independent identities. Such theories suggest that social mores reflect this in the abnormal or inordinate character of women who do not marry, since their primordial role was to provide comfort and satisfaction to the "master of the house". A humorous "feminist" spin on the term defines B.I.T.C.H. as a Babe In Total Control of Herself.
The singer Meredith Brooks in her 1997 song Bitch attempted a reclamation of the word through a feminist usage. By beginning the chorus with "I'm a bitch" and ending it with "I do not feel ashamed", Brooks refuses to feel ashamed of her selfishness, vulnerability and independence, insisting that they can and do coexist with more stereotypically feminine qualities.
Men too have reappropriated the word "bitch" as a colloquial term of endearment (e.g., "good night, bitch"), although such usage nonetheless remains edgy in most circumstances, and would usually be appropriate only when jokingly addressed to a close friend or familiar person who could be expected to correctly interpret the jocular intention underlying this usage.
[edit] "Bitch" and sexual availability
The early — and largely still extant — usage of bitch as a sexually available person has been extended to imply subservience towards the user. In the context of prison sexuality, a bitch is a lower-hierarchy prisoner, typically physically weak or vulnerable, who is dominated by more senior prisoners and forced to adopt a servile role. According to convention, these inmates are used as sexual slaves or traded as personal property. To call a male a "bitch" usually suggests that he is sexually passive in this manner. As a result, calling a man a "bitch" can now imply a general passivity or timidity that, while not necessarily sexual, is still very much an insult.
[edit] My Bitch
The phrase "my bitch" is used when one partner (male or female) is claimed to be available sexually to a particular person (male or female), rather than to anyone. This implies that the subject is tied to a relationship which is controlled by another, dominant, party. This can also be used in a non-sexual way; the phrase "You're my bitch!" implies that one is a servant or slave. Also, the term "my bitch" is a common term for male inmates having sexual relations. There is also a song by the late Notorious B.I.G. entitled "Me and My Bitch." This phrase has also been used in many movies such as In Her Shoes.
It should be noted that the phrase "my bitch" can be used as a jocular and/or endearing expression (i.e. the aforementioned rap song), depending on context and intonation.
[edit] Bitch Slap
The term "bitch slap" is derived from American slang. In the original sense, a "bitch slap" is a powerful, full-swing slap in the face with the front of the hand, evoking the way an angry pimp might slap a defiant prostitute (not to be confused with a "pimp slap" which uses the back of the hand). However, the term is now frequently used figuratively to describe a humiliating defeat or punishment. For example, if an American football team loses 40-3, one could say that they were "bitch slapped".
[edit] Son of a bitch
The term son of a bitch is a form of profanity (used mainly in the US) usually used to refer to a man who is nasty, rude or otherwise offensive. It also is used as an exclamation or in an exclamative pretext. In the latter case it may be considered a swear or curse.
[edit] Variants
The adjectives bitchy and bitchin' and the verb to bitch evolved from the noun bitch. All of these derivative forms tend to be less offensive than the noun form, although it is clear that most derivations of the term originate from the insulting meaning of "bitch."
From this usage of bitch as "complain", the colloquial noun bitch-fest evolved, to describe people complaining about something together. Used in its verb form, to bitch is considered significantly less offensive than the noun bitch. It is not uncommon for people to say that they are "bitching" about something, whereas it is less common for someone to call himself or herself a "bitch." Although "to bitch" may maintain some of its feminine specificity, men are also commonly said to be "bitching" when they are complaining extensively about something (thus implying they are acting feminine).
To use the term "bitch" as a verb, in the context "I just bitched that guy!" means to severely beat up someone, or hurt them beyond the point of repair.
The use of the term "bitching" has been extended to the common sewing or crafting get together known as a "stitch-n-bitch". At these gathering women (and ocassionaly men) gather to work on projects and talk or complain.
Also, the term bitching is used in the sense of the word "cool": That car is bitching.
The adjective bitchy has a wider range of meanings. Someone who is bitchy may merely be temperamental or moody. Bitchy is usually used to describe women; it can be somewhat feminizing when used for men. Alternately, when applied to articles of clothing, it suggests that they are worn to advertise sexual availability.
Bitchin' was a valley girl term used in the 1980s synonymous with the word "cool".
Biatch is a pronunciation of bitch, which became popular through its frequent use in rap music and by black comedians. The pronunciation was first started by the rapper Too $hort. In his song Blow the Whistle, $hort states, "I heard 93 rappers say bitch like me 2 singers and 10 comedians And I'm still gon' yell it every time you see me in What's my favorite word? BIATCH! Why they gotta say it like $hort? BIATCH!" Beeotch, Beyotch, Byotch, Beyatch are other ways of spelling the Biatch pronunciation of "bitch."
[edit] To "Bitch" in Poker
Common situations in poker where another player has "drawn out," or managed to defy probablity and defeat them with a previously weaker hand, is occasionally referred to as "getting bitched."
To have the "bitch end" of a hand in poker is to have the weaker version of the same hand as another player. This situation occurs especially in poker games with community cards. For example, if in Texas hold'em the community cards are 4♠ 6♣ 7♥ Q♦ A♥, a player with hole cards 3♣ 5♠ would have the bitch end of a straight, losing to a player with 5♥ 8♣.
[edit] The "Bitch" in Hearts
In the game of hearts, the queen of spades (worth thirteen points alone) is referred to as "the bitch" or the "Black Bitch". The latter nickname has evolved into an alternative name for the game itself.
[edit] Bitch and Hip-Hop
The word bitch is sometimes used casually among hip-hop artists and followers of the culture. The term is typically used to describe a young female regardless of personality or looks. Often it is a directly negative and violent condemnation of character (referring sometimes to males as well, but especially directed at females). When used, it is sometimes meant in a more ambiguous sense, though usually it denotes ownership, therefore reinforcing cultural norms of the word as negative, especially towards the feminine. For example, a female rapper might say "This goes out to all my bitches." This is similar to previous feminist attempts to identify it as somewhat a call of sisterhood. This however is not borne out of an intellectual reasoning, as it is used in various forms throughout the medium of Hip Hop, and this particular use of it does not attempt to conflict with its other uses, and as such there is no clear and distinct way of identifying it as a reclamation of the term.
[edit] The middle seat of a pickup truck or coupe
The word bitch as in the phrase "riding bitch" can refer to the middle of a pickup truck or sports coupe in which one is sandwiched between the driver and another passenger—an uncomfortable position when space in the car is scarce, especially so in rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive vehicles, where the drive tunnel interrupts even the scant legroom this position normally has available. In this context, the driver of the vehicle is the dominant, or "in charge." The "bitch" in this scenario is the one closest to the driver.
The origins of the phrase "riding bitch" could be interpreted as chauvinistic or sexist. In the past, as well as currently in some parts of the world, men have been the drivers and women have sat next to them, with the child or passenger in the seat furthest from the driver.
The phrase "riding bitch" was coined in order to connotate a sense of superiority on behalf of the driver while denigrating the passenger closest to him. In the United States, it is widely used as a joke amongst close friends in scenes ranging from athletics, to the military, to working-class men of various backgrounds as well as rural "redneck" culture and urban "thug" culture.
As well, there is the "bitch's bitch", which is the trunk of a sports coupe. The connotations of this refer to the idea that if there is extremely limited seating, somebody can curl up and ride in the trunk of the car, but that doing so puts them extremely low on the hierarchy--so low that they are the "bitch" even to the person who is everybody else's "bitch", that being the person who is "riding bitch".
"Riding bitch" also refers to riding on the small seat behind the driver of a motorcycle.
Riding bitch can also refer to riding in the middle of the back seat of sedans.
