What's a good substitute for "whore"?

[Prism]

I'm asking in earnest. We have, to varying degrees, decided whore is not a good term.

But the trick is, in colloquial English, whore is a good word for implying someone who will do untoward things for monetary or professional gain.

What word would you, personally, like to have substitute for that meaning? That specific meaning. As in, a politician who does favors for people who pay him/her?

[Texasgal]

1. Sell out?

Does that work?

[Prism]

5. Feels weak

But that's obviously subjective. It just doesn't have oomph. It feels nondescriptive.

[mercuryblues]

178. how about

a fucking, two faced sellout?

[cyberswede]

191. ^ perfect

[awake]

2. A politician who does favors for people who pay him/her? That would be a

REPUBLICAN say like Scot Walker

[Prism]

6. Not a given

Republicans aren't the only politicians who do favors for donors.

[awake]

14. True True

[Scootaloo]

3. I provided a list in the other thread, prism. here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6989949

[Prism]

17. All good

Your post had me wondering. Is this a generational thing? I did not grow up in a culture that had whore being a gendered insult. It has always meant to mean someone, of either gender, willing to sell themselves out for money or favor. I'm 36, and I've always seen males called whores in various ways.

When DU gets het up about whore as a gender slur, I genuinely look at it as if an alien ship has landed. "Who on earth thinks this is a gender specific slur?" because it never has been in my experience. I think most people would be hard-pressed to find a colloquial usage, outside of actual sex trade, that is gender specific.

So my question is, is this actually a problem, or is this a demographic difference based on language evolution? And I'm not exactly champing at the bit to use that word. But it's created this ruckus, so I'm curious. I honestly, earnestly, do not know anyone who would care.

[Scootaloo]

22. It CAN be applied to people of either gender

But that does not make the word itself gender-neutral. it's like "bitch" in that way. Both "whore" and "bitch" when used as insults, are strongly associated with using woman-ness as an insult.

Your male politician being called a whore - is he penetrating the party buying his "services" or is he the one doing the penetrating? The overwhelming connotation is that he's the "bottom" in this transaction, isn't it? A position usually regarded as "feminizing" - coming back around, "being somebody's bitch."

There is a LOT tp unpack in there, and I do think there's likely someone else here on DU who can do a better job of it.

And it's rather irrelevant in the context spurring this discussion - Hillary Clinton is not a man.

And i'm 32, so no, I don't think it's "generational."

[Prism]

31. "connotation is that he's the bottom in this transaction"

That gives me something to think about. I understand how you're interpreting it colloquially.

I'm still not sure I agree wholly with you, but you delineated the issues at play just fine. It's not a word I will use on DU, but if I hear IRL, I can't honestly say I'll raise any objection.

But I do understand better your objection and respect that.

[CreekDog]

105. I think it's disingenuous of you to say that "we've decided it's a bad term"

in your OP, then 17 posts later to question whether it's a bad word to use at all.

it's not like you have a great record amongst the feminists here, so making an argument then going back on it minutes later seems like not being very honest about what you were attempting in the first place.

[Prism]

157. Where's the inconsistency?

I noted that there's a bit of consensus on the board it's a bad term, but that doesn't preclude my thinking it's not the worst thing ever.

As for my record amongst "feminists here", eh . . . a handful of people are not the monolithic world of feminism. They'd like to think so, though!

[seaglass]

195. Thank you. n/t

[merrily]

111. Yeah, you did.

" I did not grow up in a culture that had whore being a gendered insult.


Yeah, you did. You just were so immersed in a culture that demeans females that you didn't give it a second thought, or even a first.

The fact that a term like "male prostitute" exists shows that "whore" and "prostitute," when unmodified, were implicitly understood to refer to females. So, to "ungender" those terms, one had to specify "male" unless the context made it clear, as when one would say, "John Doe is a media whore."

The change is not that the word suddenly became "gendered." The change is that you no longer feel free to use the word as an insult because people, mostly women, have been saying, "Cut it out. It's offensive to women and we will not remain silent about that any longer."

The language is full of other examples of words--and implicit thinking--that associate good things with men and bad things with females.

I find it really annoying when the way to claim Pelosi showed strength is to say "She had balls" and the way to claim Reid was weak is to call him a p**sy.

[ladyVet]

148. Who thinks of it as a gender slur?

Try: women. See also: men who understand and support women.

You may be too young to realize it, but women have long been denigrated and abused, and for many reasons. Paid sex is one of those no-nos that "nice" girls don't do. Hell, sex in and of itself is not something nice girls do.

Girls/women are easy, whores, sluts. It's used to make women "less" than men.

Woman who has sex for money = whore.

Man who pays for sex = just one of the boys.

[Aerows]

164. Shill is also a good one.

That REALLY expresses it.

[geek tragedy]

4. Sellout, corrupt, crony, mercenary, on the take, compromised, captured,

tool of the wealthy, hired gun, for sale, best pol money can buy.

[Prism]

9. Two potenials

"best pol money can buy" and "on the take". The rest just don't zero in on the problem being addressed.

But then, there's a second question. If I said, "So and So is the best pol money could buy," would there be an objection?

[geek tragedy]

35. How is "mercenary" less appropriate than "whore?"

[Prism]

40. Connotation

One has a connotation of debasement of oneself, the other seems more sterile and transactive.

[geek tragedy]

44. That implies that the very reason why one

should not use the word--it's about degradation, not criticizing the lack of principles.

[Prism]

47. But that's precisely why it's a good word

The degrading connotation. It packs an emotional whollop. It's a solid English word. And that's why I ask. What is just as good?

[geek tragedy]

55. It's one of the words most frequently used by

men who beat their wives, before and while they beat their wives. It's not a "good" word, it's a verbal chemical weapon armed with toxic misogyny.

Words on the wife-beaters' short-list of words to degrade and destroy have no place in political discourse.

[whathehell]

112. +1000

You're right. It's an ugly word that reeks of misogyny.

[CreekDog]

107. if someone really wants to use the latter basically

other than that...

[DURHAM D]

7. Republican

[Prism]

10. Trite n/t

[HFRN]

8. K Street walker? nt

[RKP5637]

34. Damn, that is good!!! n/t

[hobbit709]

120. Person of negotiable virtue.

[juxtaposed]

11. tool, puppet, owned ------

[whathehell]

113. Thank you...Those work very well.

[Cleita]

12. Anglo Saxon derived words seems to be insulting in the English language.

Latin or French derived words are acceptable even though they mean the same thing. If you say someone prostituted themselves, it's okay. You get what I mean?

[Prism]

20. I do

But can you elaborate further? I'm interested in what you're saying.

[Cleita]

33. It's something an English teacher pointed out to us when we had to read

"Canterbury Tales." There were a few words in the Middle English that we considered dirty words like shit and fuck. He said, among all the 'teehees' in the class, that when the the Normans conquered England and the Anglo-Saxons, their French/Latin language became the language of the aristocracy and the language of the conquered became the vulgar language or the language of the conquered people.

So we have a distinction in acceptable and vulgar. Pork is OK. Pig not so much. There are so many words in French for those who sell themselves out besides whore, but they sound so much nicer.

I could go on about how this works in Spanish. The Spanish word is the elegant one but the Indian word of the conquered becomes the vulgar.

[Prism]

38. I follow you

That's interesting. I know about the Norman conquest and how the aristocratic language differed from the common tongue, but I never connected that we might still be be making those connections and connotations today. I would've figured it all washed out over time.

Something to read about =)

[Cleita]

45. There are so many words that maybe aren't offensive but there is a line

between the elegant way of saying it or the French derived word or the more common Anglo Saxon derived word that sounds rather common like saying soil (Frenchy) or dirt Ang/Sax.

[Prism]

50. You're awesome

You've opened my eyes to an entirely new manner of looking at the English language. I'm definitely going to research this.

Thank you, Cleita =)

[lumberjack_jeff]

188. Can you make any link suggestions to read more about this?

I find the premise interesting and credible.

Especially since I watched a show last night which pointed out that the dowdy and oddball sounding name given by Tolkien to Frodo's hometown; "Bag end" is simply "cul-de-sac" in English.

[Cleita]

189. I think there are online references to this, but it was an English lit

teacher who brought it to the attention of my class decades ago when we were reading Canterbury Tales in Middle English that has many of the Anglo Saxon words in the text many that are considered vulgarities today.

[hobbit709]

119. Exactly. Like the time where I worked when the assistant manager said he didn't want to hear me

cussing all the time. When he asked me what my problem was I replied "It's my birthday and I'm so fornicating happy I could just defecate"
took him about 30 seconds to figure out exactly what I said.

[Cleita]

122. That's funny. That's worth it. However, if I were you I wouldn't push it.

[hobbit709]

124. I'm not one of those that believes words have magical powers over you.

'Insults are like drinks. They only affect you if you accept them"

At one time or another I've been called every name in the book and then some in at least 6 languages.
If something is true, then it doesn't matter how you state it. If it's not true, then it doesn't really matter.

[Cleita]

125. You are right. I think that is sort of my point. eom

[hobbit709]

127. Which is why I think that is the real reason some are so upset by the word.

[notadmblnd]

181. +1

My feelings exactly. Call me what you want. If one has to resort to name calling in an attempt to win a debate with me, then tell me- who is the person with the real power? The name caller? I think not.

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. + brazillion

[Adrahil]

36. I don't agree.

"Prostituted" is not okay in my book. It is still relies on misogynist sexual shaming.

[Cleita]

39. Not acceptable to you but pretty acceptable everywhere when people

want to make nice conversation.

[Adrahil]

42. Just use mercenary...

It implies selling services for money, but without the sexual shaming or misogyny.

[Cleita]

46. Very French and elegant but it relates to soldiering and really doesn't

mean the same thing.

[Adrahil]

56. Are you looking for a sexually loaded word? nt

[Cleita]

64. Adrahil, I'm suspecting you have some issues that should probably

be worked out, but not by me. Been there and don't care to go there again. I'm talking about language. That's all.

[Adrahil]

67. So am I. Referencing prostituion has a specific effect...

... Either intentionally or unintentinally. I don't have any "issues" that need working out other than I would prefer we stop casually using misogynist terms in daily discourse, especially, but not exclusively, when referring to women.

[TransitJohn]

72. Are you implying that only women can sell sex?

If not, i cannot follow what you are trying to get across.

[Adrahil]

131. It's not a complicated point....

The term "whore" and "prostitute" are used OVERWHELMINGLY to describe women in the sex trade.

Surely you can follow that.

[nadinbrzezinski]

84. Because only women prostitute their bodies regularly

[Adrahil]

133. It isn't complicated

The term "whore" and "prostitute" are used OVERWHELMINGLY to describe women in the sex trade.

[PassingFair]

163. Unless you use the phrase "corporate whore"...

in which case, it is OVERWHELMINGLY is used to describe a man.

[Tipperary]

100. You do know that there are also male prostitutes, don't you?

Both men and women have sold sex since the beginning of time.

[Adrahil]

135. Are you seriously arguing....

That the term "whore" is not primarily applied to female sex workers?

Yes, male prostitutes exist and have existed. But the term "whore" is applied overwhelmingly to women.

[Tipperary]

143. I have heard the term "man whore" used for years.

The context in which the word is being discussed here is in reference to a person selling out for money. Even here on the DU, I have seen posters refer to various republicans and media figures as whores. I do not use the word and I find it crass, but I am not offended by it in any way.

Generally I have learned that vulgar language reflects more on the person using it than on the person against whom it is used.

[Adrahil]

144. The fact the modifier "man" must be used tells you everything you need to know. nt

[Tipperary]

145. K. You will not change my mind, and I will not change yours.

It is all good.

[whathehell]

152. There are far fewer men in the trade, and those servicing women, at least, are called gigolos

a far less disparaging term than "whore" or."sout".

[whathehell]

115. Yes it does. Language is extremely important.

Those who try to minimize its effect have likely never been its routine victim.

[Exilednight]

136. Misogynist to you is not misogynistic to

Everyone. A word like "bitch" is gender specific, and thus mysoginistc in meaning, but "prostitute" is not gender specific and works for me.

You don't have to like it, just like flat earthers don't like it when I say the earth is round, but not every argument has two valid arguments.

[Adrahil]

137. Ah yes... And the Confederate flag is about Heritage. nt

[Exilednight]

138. There's no doubt what the confederate flag

Stood for. It was about oppression of fellow human beings.

Was the civil war about state rights? Yes it was. Some states believed they had the right to allow one human being own another human being - otherwise known as slavery.

But I don't know what this has to do with the word prostitute.

[whathehell]

114. It certainly seems so.

[whathehell]

116. Nor do I

for the same reason.

[Scootaloo]

41. While an interesting observation, you're coming at it from the wrong end.

It's not that Anglo-saxon words are insulting.
It's that the best insults are anglo-saxon in origin.

Calling someone a "prostitute" is still an insult. It just has a weird sort of "artificial" feel to it, like the person using it as an insult is "trying too hard."

That and the best insults - regardless of language - are ones you can scream in someone's face with a minimum of syllables.

(If you're interested, look up "anglish", a modern effort to re-Anglicize English by substituting old English terms for more recent "imports&quot

[Cleita]

49. I just made an observation. Make of it what you will. Eom

[Scootaloo]

58. NP. i just find language fascinating

[truebrit71]

13. Not sure but I'll use that word when appropriate....

Fuck the Poutrage Police....

[Autumn]

15. Republican?

[Prism]

25. Joe Lieberman?

That's where that problem originates.

[awake]

26. Some Republicans pretend to be Demarcates

[rhett o rick]

194. Anyone is allowed to call themselves a Democrat. Lieberman is a great example of one with

republicon principles that calls themselves "Democrats". Arlen Specter decided to switch one day. Bingo Bango he became a Democrat and instantly gained the love of those that only go by label. He didn't change his ideology he just changed his label.

[awake]

197. Exactly

[pscot]

16. Harlot has a certain panache

Lady of negotiable affection? And let's be fair. Prostitutes rank higher in the social spectrum than congressmen and used car salesmen.

[FuzzyRabbit]

71. Exactly right. Calling a politician a whore is

insulting to the prostitutes.

[Cleita]

109. It really is. So many don't realize that until they think about it. eom

[cherokeeprogressive]

18. Freelance Politician

Freelancer

[Scootaloo]

43. But Freelance Police are the best police.

[cherokeeprogressive]

57. ...

[The Straight Story]

19. Maybe we should ditch all words and just use random letters to communicate

To protect those who may not like a word we use.

I, for one, do not want to subject people to the terror of language. Some words are a trigger for me. "Mom" for example, reminds me of my mom. Brings up a lot of sad things and feelings I want to avoid.

Yes - this is mostly in Jest, but I base it on the movie (loosely) PontyPool. Where words are like viruses that infect people (turn them into zombies in the movie) so they try to redo words. In the movie, kill is changed to kiss.

So maybe we should just make up all new, or random, words to protect those affected by them. It's the least we can do to help people in this country who are suffering.

[TransitJohn]

74. Quit being so insensitive to the dyslexic and otherwise learning disabled

I'm outraged you would suggest that.

[HFRN]

21. rent-person?

it avoids the misogynist connotations

[SunSeeker]

23. Judas. Lap dog. Hustler. Lobbyist. nt

[Lancero]

24. Betrayer would work in some cases.

[NuclearDem]

27. Sleazy backstabber.

[msanthrope]

29. Bought and paid for. nt

[ananda]

32. Sellout

Like Faustus

[Warpy]

37. "MediaSelloutsOnline?"

I'm sorry, but prissy word jumpers shouldn't determine anyone's language.

[Cleita]

51. Yes!

[SunSeeker]

52. Trying to have your language reflect your progressive values is not being "prissy."

It is being a decent human being. There are many words we don't use any more, because of the advances made by the civil rights and women's rights movement. It is a struggle that still continues. Even among our own, sadly.

Language determines thought. It is important.

[Warpy]

59. Sure it is, especially when you try to correct/bully your elders.

Think about that one.

Then realize that some rude words have meanings far beyond the original ones in the dictionary, meanings that can't be duplicated by language that pleases the prissiest among us.

This is no different from Bowdlerism or any of the other silly language cleansing movements that have gone before. At best, they're misguided.

At worst, they're just an excuse to bully.

[SunSeeker]

66. Nothing "duplicates" the n word either. What difference does your age make?

How do you know you're my "elder" and why does that matter?

This is a progressive political discussion board. People come to comment on these sort of things. And since they're progressives (or at least they're supposed to be), you should expect that they will object to racist and sexist language. If you find that "bullying," then it is not them that are being a little too "prissy."

[geek tragedy]

70. Anyone who can't express their opinions about Hillary Clinton or Elizabeth Warren

without using the word "whore" is a reptilian misogynist who has no place here.

Just like those who need to refer to Barack Obama using words like "welfare" and "thug."

Feel free to climb down from that cross you built for yourself.

[rhett o rick]

149. Some think they are solving problems by censoring language. Language isn't the problem.

Censoring language isn't being liberal. Neither is self-righteousness. The subject of word meanings and usage is something we definitely need to discuss on a "politically liberal" message board. But I don't think it's possible here.

[Warpy]

175. These censorship fans just refuse to see that censorship isn't liberal

that Bowdlerism always fails miserably, and that going after words while leaving the problems they might represent untouched is the slackest slacktivism of all.

They make DU suck.

[rhett o rick]

190. You had it correct when you said it's an excuse to bully. Self-righteous bullies are the worst. nm

[Warpy]

193. I'm just wondering how many alerts I've generated on this thread

because I've certainly let them have it.

It's added considerably to my ignore and ban from juries lists.

[NuclearDem]

192. Just take a moment to bask in that.

People defending the right to call a woman a whore are complaining about being bullied.

Yes, you're the real victims here.

[whathehell]

117. Thank you.

I agree completely.

[geek tragedy]

61. Glibertarian horseshit. People who refer to women in public life

in the same way that wife-beaters talk about the women they beat up, that is very revealing about their psychological pathologies.

Maybe Duscussionist is more your speed. Or sub reddit's like "coontown" and "beatingwomen" where one is free from "prissy word jumpers."

And, yes, the very same inane glibertarian were used to defend hate speech at reddit.

http://www.dailydot.com/society/reddit-beatingwomen-misogyny-images/

Redditors sometimes spot this unsavory material—and use the site itself to highlight other redditors’ bad behavior, in a remarkable example of how Reddit polices itself. On Wednesday, one of these self-critiques made it to the homepage.

The post, titled “These are real women. These are real crimes. Make this stop, reddit,” linked to the /r/beatingwomen subreddit and an image of a partially clothed woman being brutally beaten by a larger man. The subreddit is a place where misogynistic and violent images are shared.

In just a few hours, the post collected 3,312 comments and almost an equal amount of upvotes and downvotes. (It’s not clear what those votes mean. An upvote normally expresses agreement, interest, or approval, and a downvote the opposite; but in the context of a link like this, it’s not clear whether an upvote indicates agreement with the original poster’s opinion or a thumbs-up to the distasteful content the post highlighted.)

“This is the other half of free speech, the kind people don't like to talk about, but that's the most effective,” wrote Dawggoneit. “The content on /r/beatingwomen is awful, but use it as an opportunity to do some good towards preventing violence, instead of an opportunity to censor and hide the awful truth of this reality.”

“People are always ready to fight against censorship until they see something they don't like. Then they become the ones wanting to censor it,” onecomment wrote. “You don't like it, neither do I, so don't go there, and don't be a hypocrite.”

The person who posted the image to r/beatingwomen was violentacrez, a Reddit superuser who moderates more than 250 subreddits (including /r/beatingwomen and /r/picsofdeadkids), and loves getting people riled up.

[JTFrog]

65. +1 n/t

[SunSeeker]

68. Great post.

[snooper2]

147. um..

LOL

[rhett o rick]

198. I think he might be looking for a "politically liberal" message board that

is free of those that think they get to dictate what others think and say. You know, where people get "bounced out" for saying something that is deemed politically incorrect. I thought that liberals were open minded. You know that if you object to what is said, you can simply provide an alternative argument or ignore the person. Looking to ban isn't the liberal option.

[joshcryer]

48. I thought "used car salesman" was the go to insult?

[Prism]

53. That is pretty visceral

I can see why it pissed people off.

But the definitions are different. One is selling a faulty product, the other is betraying principles in favor for gain. Not similar situations.

[joshcryer]

62. Ah, OK, so we're looking for nicer insults.

[muriel_volestrangler]

139. 'betraying principles' isn't really the meaning that 'whore' has

But if that's the implication you need words for:
betrayer
turncoat
traitor
Judas
mercenary
hireling
for American use:
Hessian
Benedict Arnold

verb:
to sell your soul
to sell out

[Kurovski]

54. Weein' hoor has a little gaelic charm to it, don't you think?

Less harsh.

[morningfog]

60. Lackey? Toady? Stooge? Servant?

[Cleita]

106. I have a problem with lackey and servant. Many people don't have a choice. eom

[Aerows]

63. Bore?

Or were you speaking of a particular person?

Whorl? Circling down into a water phenomenon?

[Prism]

158. No one in particular

I'm just wondering if there's a substitute word with that visceral connotation. I've seen a lot of examples given, but they just don't have that frission of colloquial impact so far.

Again, not that I'm running around using the word or ever would on the board. I'm just curious, if we need to alter English, what word are we jigging into place. There are some good alternatives offered so far, but there's a kind of satisfaction lacking in many of them.

[Agnosticsherbet]

69. What is a good substitue for a word whose purpose is to demean all women?

Cruz is a good word, or Jeb, or Dipshit.

[Doc_Technical]

73. Lackey

minion
toady
flunky
sycophant
lickspittle
underling
pawn
stooge
scullion
houseboy
bootlicker
door-mat
yes-person

[CharlotteVale]

77. I think lackey is perfect.

[Cleita]

92. Lackey is very racist. Look it up. eom

[muriel_volestrangler]

141. Huh? Oxford English Dictionary definition:

Etymology: < French laquais, in Old French plural laquaiz, laquetz, also alacays, (h)alaques (whence the ?forms), in 15th cent. a kind of foot-soldier, subsequently a footman, servant. The etymology is obscure; compare Spanish lacayo, Portuguese lacayo; Italian lacchè is from French.

1.

a. A footman, esp. a running footman; a valet.

?.
1544 R. Tracy Supplycacion to Kynge Henry VIII sig. Dv, His wiffe, her gentle woman or mayde, two yowmen, and one lackey.

b. fig. †A constant follower (obs.); one who is servilely obsequious, a toady.

1588 ‘M. Marprelate’ Oh read ouer D. Iohn Bridges: Epist. 19, I thinke Simonie be the bishops lacky.

c. spec. As a term of political abuse: a servile follower.

1939 G. E. R. Gedye Fallen Bastions ii. 37 The Communists did not hesitate to condemn them (sc. the Austrian Socialist leaders), as ‘Social Fascists’ who did ‘lackey service’ to capitalist reaction.

2. A hanger-on, a camp follower. Obs. or arch.

1556 Acc. in Sharpe Cov. Myst. (1825) 193 Payd to xiiij gonners and a lakye lixs.

[CharlotteVale]

156. I had no idea. I have only ever heard it used in a business context.

[muriel_volestrangler]

162. Have you managed to find out why some consider it racist yet?

I can't find anything about it.

[CharlotteVale]

165. Yes, Google it.

[muriel_volestrangler]

169. I did, and found nothing in the first 3 pages of results

Since I've already posted the dictionary definitions and usages, which are nothing to do with race, I think an explanation would be helpful.

[CharlotteVale]

170. The first definition I saw included a word with "boy" in it. That's why.

[muriel_volestrangler]

171. No, that does not make it 'racist'.

For instance, it might be referring to an actual boy, not a man of a different ethnicity who is being belittled by calling him a 'boy'.

[CharlotteVale]

173. Whatever. I'm done with this conversation.

[Cleita]

174. Google lackey + Uncle Toms Cabin.

In the ante-bellum South, some of the male household slaves were called lackeys.

[PassingFair]

187. The word well pre-dates the ante-bellum South. nt

[valerief]

75. I don't see a need for a substitution. nt

[Recursion]

76. How about not calling Democratic politicians names? (nt)

[MohRokTah]

78. "Whore" is fine according to the DU jury system. eom

[Cleita]

79. Why not? It's a word that says we sell ourselves out. That's all.

Anyone of us who had a regular job knows that.

[geek tragedy]

80. No, that word is "employee"

Work is not selling oneself out.

It is also not sexual degradation.

In fact, calling a female employee "my whore" will get virtually any male boss in the country found liable for violations of federal anti-discrimination law, with the likely result that he gets fired and blacklisted, and forced to pay a hefty court judgment.

But you knew that.

[Cleita]

82. Oh yeah. I'm sorry. I forgot you know everything.

[geek tragedy]

88. I know that "employee" and "whore" mean different things.

Men don't call their wife "you stupid employee" before beating the shit out of her.

[Cleita]

89. Huh? This got weird.

I'm sorry you know men like that.

[geek tragedy]

90. My wife represents victims of domestic violence.

The batterers really like calling their wives/girlfriend stuff like "you stupid whore."

[Cleita]

91. I commend your wife for being a wonderful person.

I appreciate that she does what she does. But censorship keeps people ignorant. Stupid whore is the only words they know. What happened to slut? I was called that when I came home late by my father. Better to concentrate on the action rather than the word.

[geek tragedy]

93. No one is kept ignorant by forbidding hate speech at a progressive site.

The overall tone becomes a lot more intelligent and educated when people when that toxic sewage is filtered out.

Because, if you allow hate speech, you no longer have a progressive website.

[Cleita]

94. Really? Who is going to define hate speech?

I think the context defines it. No? Look I know this is about Hillary and she shouldn't be called that, nor should Ann Coulter and other women. The fact is a clever word person can say the same thing without using that word. But the word is so good to define people like Trump, Fox News and other things like that, you can't remove it from the dialogue. That's my problem.

[geek tragedy]

97. There are much better words for Trump--"racist buffoonish carnival barker" etc

Much better options in the toolkit.

[Cleita]

98. I actually knew some carnival barkers down on the pier in Santa Monica.

They were OK people trying to make a living like anyone else. Also, buffoons are comedians who are also trying to make a living. You get more insulting as you go along.

I need to add to this that working girls are also trying to make a living. The carnival people and buffoons actually are more legitimate that the ladies because the ladies still are not able to get legitimacy.

[geek tragedy]

132. "Buffoon" is not a profession.

Last edited Mon Jul 20, 2015, 12:25 PM - Edit history (1)

It means someone is an amusing idiot.

Avoiding the temptation to add to that, I leave you with the last word.

[CreekDog]

108. there's no censorship, you are free to open up a very large web portal

where that word can be posted as often as necessary to make you feel fair and open minded.

but you pay for it.

[Skittles]

95. I agree

it is unfortunate that so many people think it is used exclusively in a sexual context

[Cleita]

99. Yes, it's a word.

[Cleita]

81. This is sort of interesting and dates back to our Indo-European proto-language.

I thought you might like to trace it back.

http://word-ancestry.livejournal.com/65040.html

In spite of all the rude comments about Jared Diamond, he was always one of my favorite anthropologists.

[nadinbrzezinski]

83. Linguistics is fascinating but not something I fear

that can be discussed at DU any longer. You should be ashamed of yourself for trying to find out how language evolves (by the way I personally thank you for it, my inner geek is in love with language). Really, some words should be banished and only those approved by the thought police in newspeak are allowed.

of course, but some folks will take this too seriously.

[Cleita]

85. Thanks. It's time we took back our humanity and that is our language and languages.

[nadinbrzezinski]

87. Yup

and the best part is that we are in the midst of that word once again evolving. I pointed to the Urban Dictionary earlier... but the language police cannot accept that language, gasp I know, evolves.

And now, due to the internet, it is evolving faster than ever.

[beam me up scottie]

86. Mak'dar

A Klingon epithet

Unsure of the exact definition but they used it on Quark so it probably means the same thing.

[eridani]

96. Suck-up. Enabler. Servant. n/t

[Tipperary]

101. Personally, I think "venal" pretty much sums up someone who will do anything for money.

It's a good word.

[Cleita]

102. It does describe the 1%.

However, people like prostitutes, carnival barkers, used car salesmen, golf caddies, sand hogs and so on are not admired and their ways of making a living can be used to insult others.

[Tipperary]

103. Lol, I do not know what a sand hog is I'm afraid, but that does seem unfair to golf caddies.

Venal, as I understand it, means someone who is willing to take a bribe.

I think whore or prostitute can be applied to either males or females. I do not particularly care for the word whore, so I would not use it, but I am not in the least offended when I see it used. The only exception might be the blanket usage of "ho" for ALL women that is so frequently used in rap.

[TexasTowelie]

104. Capitulater?

I think it applies no matter which context is mentioned.

[Pharaoh]

110. A slut

[whathehell]

118. As ugly and misogynistic as "whore",

but maybe that's what you're striving for.

[Cleita]

126. So what would you prefer? How about courtesan or haetara or maybe call girl?

They all mean the same. But the vulgarisms always come from the language of the conquered.

[whathehell]

146. Like an increasing number of people, I prefer the term 'sex worker"

It's descriptive, but non-judgemental.

I'm not sure that the historic origins of vulgarisms are particularly germane to this conversation.

[m-lekktor]

121. being gay and being used to guys calling each other whores

I guess i never thought it was gender specific therefore "misogynist". whatever

[gollygee]

123. Anything that isn't a slur - and whore is a misogynist slur

There are tons of words that mean "sell-out." It's ridiculous to suggest that the problem is you can't find another word that means that.

[gollygee]

128. I thought the thesaurus might help you

But the results don't back up this idea that "whore" means something other than whote.



Common Informal
Synonyms for whore
noun prostitute
call girlstarescortstarfallen womanstarharlotstarhookerstarhustlerstarlady of the eveningstarprostar
Usage Notes
See contraction.

More words related to whore
floozy
noun. sexually promiscuous woman
bimbo
broad
doxy
easy make
hooker
moll
nympho
piece of tail
prostitute
tramp
whore
harlot
noun. prostitute
call girl
concubine
courtesan
fallen woman
floozy
hooker
hussy
lady of the evening
loose woman
nymphomaniac
painted woman
slut
streetwalker
strumpet
tramp
whore
hooker
noun. prostitute
bawd
call girl
concubine
courtesan
fallen woman
floozy
harlot
hustler
lady of the evening
moll
nymphomaniac
painted
pro
streetwalker
strumpet
whore
woman of the streets
working girl
hussy
noun. loose woman
broad
floozy
jade
jezebel
minx
slut
strumpet
tart
tramp
trollop
vamp
wench
whore
hustler
noun. con artist; prostitute
call girl
cheater
fast talker
floozy
grifter
hooker
rip-off artist
scam artist
streetwalker
swindler
whore
Jezebel
noun. prostitute
broad
fallen woman
femme fatale
floozy
harlot
hooker
hussy
jade
loose woman
scarlet
slut
strumpet
tart
trollop
vamp
whore
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
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13 Synonyms found for whore

Word Origin & History
whore O.E. hore "prostitute, harlot," from P.Gmc. *khoraz (fem. *khoron-) "one who desires" (cf. O.N. hora "adulteress," Dan. hore, Swed. hora, Du. hoer, O.H.G. huora "whore;" in Goth. only in the masc. hors "adulterer, fornicator," also as a verb, horinon "commit adultery&quot , from PIE *qar-, a base that has produced words in other languages for "lover" (cf. L. carus "dear;" O.Ir. cara "friend;" O.Pers. kama "desire;" Skt. Kama, name of the Hindu god of love, kamah "love, desire," the first element in Kama Sutra). Whore itself is perhaps a Gmc. euphemism for a word that has not survived. Some equivalent ...
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[Shankapotomus]

129. What do you call the ones that

don't want money?

Just curious.

[LuvLoogie]

130. I have sent letters to politicians saying,

"Are you a Senator or a footman?"

What generated all this is an obvious misogynistic slur against Hillary Clinton. That cad got the heel of my rhetorical boot. And they deserved no less.

All this talk about about people being overly sensitive, and the evolution of the English lexicon, and censorship, is psuedo-intellectual bullshit.

Sorry if I've harshed anybody's self-pityingly jaded neutral buzz.

[rock]

134. "Politician"

Does it for me.

[Starry Messenger]

140. Do you go up to women on streetcorners who are

obviously soliciting and say "Hi whore! It's ok for me to call you that because it is technically correct!"

I'm guessing you don't.

[Prism]

160. No, I respect sex workers too much.

There's a Bill Maher bit about this.

[beam me up scottie]

176. Lol!

I agree. Calling a politician a corporate whore has nothing to do with sex. It has everything to do with what genuinely immoral acts they're willing to perform for money.

Selling sex is not immoral.

Selling out your constituents is.

[Hepburn]

142. Republican? Neocon? Conservative? Donald Trump?

Those are a few which seem to fit, IMO, of course!

[hughee99]

150. It seems okay to refer to a man like this

And if you feel a woman fits this definition, you should just keep your mouth shut. Who are you to judge?

[still_one]

151. Yeah right, this is rocket science isn't it. Using that term when describing a female candidate

and the OP needs help because he has issues finding a substitute word

I am amazed

Also, by the number of posts who believe in the OPs sincerity on this

[NCTraveler]

153. A trick can only be found by those not wanting an answer in honest.

"But the trick is, in colloquial English,"

I hope you are going to come out with some point here. Because this "What's a good substitute for "whore," being asked in "honest," is just stupid.

[Prism]

161. No point, actually

But when scrubbing language, it is implied that there is a better term that encapsulates the same sentiment.

I was just wondering what it was. I still haven't seen anything quite as impactful, but a lot of responses have good thoughts on the topic.

[Romulox]

154. "Rightwing corporatist" is what I think people mean. nt

[bemildred]

155. "crook". nt

[meow2u3]

159. Traitor

A traitor is willing to betray anyone if the price is right.

[0rganism]

166. uh... criminal? corrupt? flunky? shill? bought-and-paid-for? crook?

there are hundreds of synonyms out there waiting to be used. no need to fall back on "whore" for this kind of activity.

frankly, i have more respect for prostitutes walking the street than bribe-soliciting legislative dipshits who occupy our halls of power. using the word "whore" to describe them is disrespectful to actual whores.

[libodem]

167. What would be a word

For offering up a person's trade off, of a commodity, for capital gains, I think it may be Capitalism.

I have solved the puzzle. It's CAPITALIST.

[nadinbrzezinski]

168. Too late

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026991544

[brentspeak]

172. Flunky. n/t

[Hestia]

177. Talk about Nanny Police - You Have Just Official Banned Every Female Title

Instead of doing some history and finding what Bitch, Whore, the "C" (Can't believe I actually typed that) were each and everyone titles of the Great Mother Goddess. The last thing these words are misogynistic - and in banning them you are actually denigrating women. You are perpetuating a myth that these are bad words. Talk to females over 50 - I Earned the Title of Bitch and some little whippersnapper ain't taking it away.

So no, Whore is great word, great title, and everyone understands. As you do by typing this.

Quit being the freaking Word Police and screaming at us about Female Titles and go feed the hungry, sign someone up to vote. Get of our backs over words.

[nadinbrzezinski]

185. I actually went there

partially with another one

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6991544

Like you, I am damn tired of the nanny word police

[whatchamacallit]

179. Handmaiden?

[polichick]

180. I call both male and female politicians shamelessly selling out the country "whores" but add...

a word or two of clarification, such as "corporate whore" or "war whore" - don't care if it bothers some; the word works.

[LanternWaste]

182. Call a random DUer any substitute word you can think of; if it gets hidden, maybe it's a word to avo

Call a random DUer any substitute word you can think of; if it gets hidden, maybe it's a word to avoid.



Though thinking about, doing so could get us to point where any and all vulgarity gets hidden and we're compelled to use rational, civil language in our discourse-- which would prevent the sub-literate and the half-witted from engaging in any thread, leaving most posts little more than substantive, somewhat complex discussions... and I can certainly empathize with those less-than-stellar-minds-pretending-otherwise who want to avoid that kind of hellish dialog lacking the full breadth of a middle school cafeteria table.

[Vinca]

183. I guess I like the word "whore" when appropriate.

If you say a politician is a whore, someone knows exactly what you mean. It's a gender neutral word since people "in the profession" can be either male or female. Someday we'll all become so PC we'll have to communicate by telepathy to get our points across.

[nadinbrzezinski]

186. worst, we won't even try

because in that telepathy you might insult someone.

I am so damn tired of the censorious word police.

[Kurovski]

184. I think I've got it...

"Filthy, duplicitous corporatist tool."

[Orsino]

196. Weakling. Lackey.

I think "whore" said it best, but not everyone has divorced that word from its sexist connotations.

[JHB]

199. Horse

It worked for mediawhoresonline.com