Bitch (Beverly Gross) Blog

     In Beverly Gross's Bitch, her main point was that there are multiple definitions for the word bitch, but the definition can depend on who you ask to define it.  Gross goes from giving the definition of bitch from the Oxford English Dictionary, "a female dog or [a word] applied opprobriously to a woman; strictly a lewd or sensual woman" to Claude Brown's account of how a bitch is just another word for a female (77).  Through her various sources there are many trends that appear.  For example, many of the sources state that mostly women are bitches, and that they are mean, selfish, annoying or promiscuous.  Also she backes up the dictionary definitions with examples that her students gave.  Her students generally agreed with some of the definitions, but others were never mentioned.  Most females today would not consider a bitch to be a woman who threatens male power, while the same might not be true for what males think.  Also, the term bitch isn't used as often as Claude Brown states, because it is considered inappropriate by most people today.  All in all, the definition of what a bitch is can vary depending on who the definition comes from.

     In my opinion, Gross's piece is very convincing and I would agree that most people have different definitions for bitch.  I like how she uses different sources from when the word first originated to more updated slang dictionaries because it shows how the word has changed slightly through the years.  Although the piece is somewhat dated, I think the point of the piece is very effective.  Personally I am offended by Eugene Landy's Underground Dictionary definition which states a bitch is a "female who is mean, selfish, cruel, malicious, deceiving aka cunt.  Female.  See Female" (78).  His definition describes all female as being this way which is not accurate.  I also don't think bitch should be interchangeable with female, like Claude Brown states, because I was always taught that calling someone a bitch was inappropriate.  I would agree with the definition of a bitch as being someone who is annoying, self-absorbed, snobby, or pushy, but I think that some of the definitions she gives are over the top and inaccurate.