Like a girl...

[samvara]

I think a small part of my soul dies every time I read a fic where some manly man 'screams/cries/walks/talks/feels like a girl' and I'm wondering what we could be replacing it with. It always seems to be used to mean things like emotional, vulnerable, available, people oriented etc. with a strong dose of 'wrong.'

I'm eyeing off 'sap,' 'dope,' and 'wuss' with the possible inclusion of 'a bit sad.'

Interestingly the urban dictionary breaks down 'wuss' into terms that are overwhelmingly derogatory to either women or gay men. *sighs* I want a better world.

Comments

[callistra.livejournal.com]

I think dag has racist connotations.
I don't know anything about dork.

[black-samvara.livejournal.com]

Dag? Which race?

[stephbg.livejournal.com]

Perhaps getting confused with dago and/or wog for Mediterranean?

[callistra.livejournal.com]

That's the bunny.
Dago became dag.

[strangedave.livejournal.com]

That isn't the traditional etymolog, and while I'm deeply suspicious of folk etymology, it certainly used to be used in a term quite distinct from dago (which has all but vanished from Australian vernacular, while wog is now one of those terms that seems to be used a lot as a self-identifier by those from that group).

[purrdence.livejournal.com]

I though dags were things hanging off sheeps' butts?

[strangedave.livejournal.com]

The etymology of dork is essentially as a politer version of dick.