Pussy. (n.) ˈkənt“You lesbian idiots!” He's clearly drunk, drunk beyond belief, but the words hit me with the force of a punch. I continue to ignore him, ignoring the words he shouts to my friend and me. The vile taste of boiling anger fills my mouth and I try to focus on the sidewalk in front of me and run away as quickly as possible. The words and insults float in a common swirl of hatred, but the one word stays in my mind. A woman across the street gives us a sympathetic look. The word could not be clearer or more direct. It is a part of the body, as clear and simple as an “arm” or a “face”. However, this single word has a connotation and a societal implication far beyond that of a simple body part. It symbolizes the oppression of women and the deliberate intention to shame and assault women. Evelyn Couch in Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe feels this way when a teenager, for no reason, knocks her down and calls her a bitch. In her own situation, she feels victimized by the world around her and attacked without real reason or provocation. Despite her efforts to avoid being called a "slut" or "bossy", she is still called a bitch, not because of her actions but rather because of her gender. (Flag 233). Although she strives to avoid the double standards and judgments of patriarchal society, she cannot act or adapt in a way that denies her gender. She finds herself totally defenseless against the attack since there is no real retaliation or equivalent of the word. There is no response to such an open attack. Although the word "cunt" has various origins in various languages, one of the oldest origins comes from the ancient country of Sumeria where Iraq currently resides. Women are documenting......middle of paper......of our gender and fighting the sexist ideals of our world. Throughout history, many other words, especially racial slurs, like chicano, have been co-opted by the people they were meant to oppress and stripped the word of its power over them. Many racist insults have been condemned and disapproved by our modern society, but comments directed at women are trivialized and ignored despite their intentions and harmful effects. We need to reclaim the word's negative connotation and work to replace double standards and shaming women based on their gender. Works Cited “Celebrating the Word “Cunt”” Origins of the Word “Cunt” Np, nd Web. March 10, 2014. “The Etymology of Sexual Slang Terms.” » The etymology of sexual slang. Np, and Web. March 10, 2014. Flagg, Fannie. Fried green tomatoes at Whistle-Stop Cafe. New York: Random House, 1987. Print.