I don't use those words, so it's hard to come up with definitions. I do say 'bitch' as a verb, and I guess if I called someone a bitch I would mean someone who bitches too much. But I would not apply the term to a man, although I would not hesitate to accuse a man of bitching too much. Hmm, maybe we're getting into why I don't use 'bitch' as a noun. Hate the sin, not the sinner.

Now, as far as the C-word. In my birth culture (I am of the Central Ohio Trailer People), that was the worst thing you could call a female. It is still taboo for me, and I don't there is a gender eqauivalent. By comparison, calling someone 'dick' is almost comical, and 'prick' is only slightly worse than 'asshole' - which in my perception is almost exclusively male-specific and suggests an abuse of power that 'bitch' just doesn't cover for a woman, though I think it probably comes closest. I agree with you that there are not gender equivalents for most of these words. ('Cocksucker' and 'motherfucker' come to mind immediately.) In my experience, the C-word is used to describe women who betray their men - e.g., by fucking their best friend, selling their car for drug money, or the like. But that is probably just the Central Ohio bias showing through. :)

"If Hillary ends up being the Democratic candidate, then yes, I will throw my vote away on her. And then I'll weep when the Republican is elected."

On that point, we are in complete agreement. I don't know if I can survive another post-election day depression without either offing myself or moving to Finland.

At least, in the abstract. But I think they're being a bit silly, really. They want to take off their shirts at soccer games? That is the last place you'd catch me topless. And what exactly is the point, anyway? Is wearing a shirt really that hard?

My town actually allows public nudity, and I have no problem with that. It is being re-thought in the downtown shopping areas lately, but people swim nude in the swimming holes outside of downtown, and no one cares. A swimming hole is a perfectly natural place to skinny dip. A soccer game? Well, if you want to, it's OK with me, but I wouldn't do it myself.

Some women might have liberated themselves from the idea that their breasts are sexual, but I'm not one of them. I don't *want* to be liberated in that way. I like to skinny dip with my family, but at the next sporting event I attend, I'll be keeping my burqa - I mean bra - wrapped firmly around me.

I think have I told this story before, but a friend and I and our three toddlers went swimming once; in the locker room afterward, we were all trying to change from wet bathing suits into dry clothes (I know you have kids, so you understand how long this can take). While we were doing that, a woman was standing nude nearby, doing her hair, applying powder to private places, re-working her mascara, etc. - all before she started getting her clothes on. My half-dressed friend's naked toddler wanted to nurse when he saw her breasts, and she let him, whereupon the woman in the corner came and admonished her to cover up while she "did THAT"!

This story - along with the fact that people are uncomfortable with nursing even when there is ZERO skin showing - suggests to me that nursing is its own separate taboo. It really has little to do with showing breasts.

Still, I agree that any effort to make breasts into "just breasts" can't be bad for nursing moms.

who feels sick when you see the name fetboy. When I see his name - or Canuckistan Bob's - I am so relieved to know that there are thoughtful men in the world besides the one I'm married to. I wouldn't want to be the only happy woman on earth. ;-)

I won't comment on what I feel when I see your name, because my message would get deleted.

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you and your hand will have a good holiday together!

It's hard for me to imagine staying in the kind of hotel where they leave chocolates on your pillow, but the link inside the pledge to a searchable database of unionized hotels was very useful. http://hotelworkersrising.com/HotelGuide

As for the bikini turkey, that is one beastly roast beast! It is hard to imagine how anyone could eat it - but I already don't eat turkey, so I'm probably missing something important.

or mothers either. They need people to love them and teach them how to be civilized. I'm so sorry that you had no one to do that for you, Anonymous.

Considering how often others have tried, I seriously doubt that the subject of your posts will think twice about his habits. But I've appreciated reading them. Thanks!

"What do we do to kids in those intervening years?? Send them to school to teach them to be 'civilized'."

I'm not talking about schooling. I'm talking about parenting. I agree with you that our school system is designed to crush the souls of children. It is also designed NOT to make them act civilized, unless you think The Lord of the Flies represents a functional civilization.

The real question for me, though, is whether Obnoxious Anonymous can ever be funny. Intentionally, that is.

Anonymous, I am weeping into my tea. You are the first person to intelligently articulate the point behind this pageant. Thanks!