General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat's a good substitute for "whore"?
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
(17,049 posts)Does that work?
But that's obviously subjective. It just doesn't have oomph. It feels nondescriptive.
mercuryblues
(14,562 posts)a fucking, two faced sellout?
cyberswede
(26,117 posts)awake
(3,226 posts)REPUBLICAN say like Scot Walker
Republicans aren't the only politicians who do favors for donors.
Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)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
(25,699 posts)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
(5,815 posts)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
(46,192 posts)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
(5,815 posts)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
(8,173 posts)merrily
(45,251 posts)" 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
(1,587 posts)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
(39,961 posts)That REALLY expresses it.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)tool of the wealthy, hired gun, for sale, best pol money can buy.
Prism
(5,815 posts)"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
(68,868 posts)Prism
(5,815 posts)One has a connotation of debasement of oneself, the other seems more sterile and transactive.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)should not use the word--it's about degradation, not criticizing the lack of principles.
Prism
(5,815 posts)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
(68,868 posts)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
(29,111 posts)You're right. It's an ugly word that reeks of misogyny.
CreekDog
(46,192 posts)other than that...
DURHAM D
(32,619 posts)HFRN
(1,469 posts)RKP5637
(67,112 posts)hobbit709
(41,694 posts)juxtaposed
(2,778 posts)whathehell
(29,111 posts)Cleita
(75,480 posts)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?
But can you elaborate further? I'm interested in what you're saying.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)"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
(5,815 posts)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
(75,480 posts)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
(5,815 posts)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
(33,224 posts)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
(75,480 posts)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
(41,694 posts)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
(75,480 posts)hobbit709
(41,694 posts)'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
(75,480 posts)hobbit709
(41,694 posts)notadmblnd
(23,720 posts)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
(154,021 posts)Adrahil
(13,340 posts)"Prostituted" is not okay in my book. It is still relies on misogynist sexual shaming.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)want to make nice conversation.
Adrahil
(13,340 posts)It implies selling services for money, but without the sexual shaming or misogyny.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)mean the same thing.
Adrahil
(13,340 posts)Cleita
(75,480 posts)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
(13,340 posts)... 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
(6,932 posts)If not, i cannot follow what you are trying to get across.
Adrahil
(13,340 posts)The term "whore" and "prostitute" are used OVERWHELMINGLY to describe women in the sex trade.
Surely you can follow that.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)Adrahil
(13,340 posts)The term "whore" and "prostitute" are used OVERWHELMINGLY to describe women in the sex trade.
PassingFair
(22,434 posts)in which case, it is OVERWHELMINGLY is used to describe a man.
Tipperary
(6,930 posts)Both men and women have sold sex since the beginning of time.
Adrahil
(13,340 posts)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
(6,930 posts)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
(13,340 posts)Tipperary
(6,930 posts)It is all good.
whathehell
(29,111 posts)a far less disparaging term than "whore" or."sout".
whathehell
(29,111 posts)Those who try to minimize its effect have likely never been its routine victim.
Exilednight
(9,359 posts)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
(13,340 posts)Exilednight
(9,359 posts)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
(29,111 posts)whathehell
(29,111 posts)for the same reason.
Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)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"
Cleita
(75,480 posts)Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)truebrit71
(20,805 posts)Fuck the Poutrage Police....
Autumn
(45,120 posts)Prism
(5,815 posts)That's where that problem originates.
awake
(3,226 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)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
(3,226 posts)pscot
(21,024 posts)Lady of negotiable affection? And let's be fair. Prostitutes rank higher in the social spectrum than congressmen and used car salesmen.
FuzzyRabbit
(1,970 posts)insulting to the prostitutes.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)cherokeeprogressive
(24,853 posts)Freelancer
Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)cherokeeprogressive
(24,853 posts)The Straight Story
(48,121 posts)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
(6,932 posts)I'm outraged you would suggest that.
HFRN
(1,469 posts)it avoids the misogynist connotations
SunSeeker
(51,811 posts)Lancero
(3,018 posts)NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)msanthrope
(37,549 posts)Response to Prism (Original post)
m-lekktor This message was self-deleted by its author.
ananda
(28,914 posts)Like Faustus
Warpy
(111,467 posts)I'm sorry, but prissy word jumpers shouldn't determine anyone's language.
SunSeeker
(51,811 posts)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
(111,467 posts)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
(51,811 posts)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
(68,868 posts)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
(55,981 posts)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
(111,467 posts)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
(55,981 posts)Warpy
(111,467 posts)because I've certainly let them have it.
It's added considerably to my ignore and ban from juries lists.
NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)People defending the right to call a woman a whore are complaining about being bullied.
Yes, you're the real victims here.
whathehell
(29,111 posts)I agree completely.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)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/
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. (Its 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, its not clear whether an upvote indicates agreement with the original posters 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
(14,274 posts)SunSeeker
(51,811 posts)snooper2
(30,151 posts)LOL
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)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
(62,287 posts)Prism
(5,815 posts)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
(62,287 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,414 posts)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
(34,655 posts)Less harsh.
morningfog
(18,115 posts)Cleita
(75,480 posts)Or were you speaking of a particular person?
Whorl? Circling down into a water phenomenon?
Prism
(5,815 posts)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
(11,619 posts)Cruz is a good word, or Jeb, or Dipshit.
Doc_Technical
(3,530 posts)minion
toady
flunky
sycophant
lickspittle
underling
pawn
stooge
scullion
houseboy
bootlicker
door-mat
yes-person
CharlotteVale
(2,717 posts)Cleita
(75,480 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,414 posts)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
(2,717 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,414 posts)I can't find anything about it.
CharlotteVale
(2,717 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,414 posts)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
(2,717 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,414 posts)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
(2,717 posts)Cleita
(75,480 posts)In the ante-bellum South, some of the male household slaves were called lackeys.
PassingFair
(22,434 posts)valerief
(53,235 posts)Recursion
(56,582 posts)MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)Cleita
(75,480 posts)Anyone of us who had a regular job knows that.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)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
(75,480 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Men don't call their wife "you stupid employee" before beating the shit out of her.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)I'm sorry you know men like that.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)The batterers really like calling their wives/girlfriend stuff like "you stupid whore."
Cleita
(75,480 posts)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
(68,868 posts)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
(75,480 posts)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
(68,868 posts)Much better options in the toolkit.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)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
(68,868 posts)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
(46,192 posts)where that word can be posted as often as necessary to make you feel fair and open minded.
but you pay for it.
Skittles
(153,311 posts)it is unfortunate that so many people think it is used exclusively in a sexual context
Cleita
(75,480 posts)Cleita
(75,480 posts)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
(154,021 posts)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
(75,480 posts)nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)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
(57,349 posts)A Klingon epithet
Unsure of the exact definition but they used it on Quark so it probably means the same thing.
eridani
(51,907 posts)Tipperary
(6,930 posts)It's a good word.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)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
(6,930 posts)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
(112,706 posts)I think it applies no matter which context is mentioned.
Pharaoh
(8,209 posts)whathehell
(29,111 posts)but maybe that's what you're striving for.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)They all mean the same. But the vulgarisms always come from the language of the conquered.
whathehell
(29,111 posts)It's descriptive, but non-judgemental.
I'm not sure that the historic origins of vulgarisms are particularly germane to this conversation.
m-lekktor
(3,675 posts)I guess i never thought it was gender specific therefore "misogynist". whatever
gollygee
(22,336 posts)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
(22,336 posts)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.
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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" , 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
(4,840 posts)don't want money?
Just curious.
LuvLoogie
(7,078 posts)"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
(13,218 posts)Does it for me.
Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)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
(5,815 posts)There's a Bill Maher bit about this.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)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
(21,054 posts)Those are a few which seem to fit, IMO, of course!
hughee99
(16,113 posts)And if you feel a woman fits this definition, you should just keep your mouth shut. Who are you to judge?
still_one
(92,528 posts)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
(30,481 posts)"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
(5,815 posts)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
(25,960 posts)bemildred
(90,061 posts)meow2u3
(24,776 posts)A traitor is willing to betray anyone if the price is right.
0rganism
(23,994 posts)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
(19,288 posts)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
(154,021 posts)brentspeak
(18,290 posts)Hestia
(3,818 posts)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
(154,021 posts)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
(15,558 posts)polichick
(37,152 posts)a word or two of clarification, such as "corporate whore" or "war whore" - don't care if it bothers some; the word works.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)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
(50,334 posts)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
(154,021 posts)because in that telepathy you might insult someone.
I am so damn tired of the censorious word police.
Kurovski
(34,655 posts)"Filthy, duplicitous corporatist tool."
Orsino
(37,428 posts)I think "whore" said it best, but not everyone has divorced that word from its sexist connotations.
It worked for mediawhoresonline.com