WHAT'S A B WORD?

In the wake of a terrible tragedy such as the UC Santa Barbara shooting, many are taking to public platforms to promote different issues such as gun control, women’s rights and safety, men’s activism, etc.

First, as a UC Berkeley student and compassionate human in general, my heart goes out to my sister campus. The UC system stands in solidarity with those at UC Santa Barbara. I had the opportunity to attend a Berkeley vigil in honor of those who passed in Isla Vista that day, and the one thing I will say is that in the aftermath of a heartbreaking incident, the community and support that amasses is simply amazing. I heard heart wrenching but uplifting stories about those who were lost on May 23rd, and it was nothing short of inspiring.

That being said, a giant uproar followed from the women’s activism supporters due to the misogynistic and entitled motivations of the shooter in the Isla Vista murders. Hashtags like #yesallwomen engulfed Twitter and Facebook, and highlighted the fears and follies women face in society. Some of these included dangers women face on a daily basis like, “I shouldn’t have to hold my car keys in hand like a weapon & check over my shoulder every few seconds when I walk at night ‪#YesAllWomen” from actress and activist, Sophia Bush; or “Because society is more comfortable with people telling jokes about rape than it is with people revealing they have been raped #YesAllWomen” (unknown). One that really struck me though is “’Slut’ is attacking women for their right to say yes. ‘Friend Zone’ is attacking women for their right to say no. And ‘bitch’ is attacking women for their right to call you on it.”

The word “bitch” has been appropriated in mainstream slang, with terms like “basic bitch,” “bad bitch,” or simply endearingly referring to our closest friends as “bitch.” Women all over are using this word, and while some celebrate it, there is no doubt that “bitch” is still being used as a derogatory term to demean, belittle, and attack when placed in the wrong hands.

My blog and several other brands of mine are umbrella’d under the term “B Word,” and I want to take a few moments to clarify this. Since coming to Berkeley, and college in general, I have learned a lot about looking through the world in a larger, more encompassing lens. While I have always been raised as a very open-minded, progressive and accepting person, dialect and mindset is a very different dichotomy from the small town of Vacaville in the edges of the Bay Area compared to Berkeley.

I have always had an expanded vocabulary and loved writing and reading, but becoming a Berkeleyan has opened me up to a whole new dictionary of sorts. In high school, it was common to hear someone in the halls call a girl who may have slept with several people a “slut” or “whore.” I can admit, that I was not always above this judgment. Why, as a woman who considered myself a feminist, a humanist, and an open-minded person, could I not see how detrimental those words are to my own gender? Why is there such a stigma with women and sex/relationships? Wasn’t this a double standard to the men who were congratulated for doing the same? I learned quickly of slut-shaming when I got to college, which is not something that is understood in the small-minded town I came from. It still astounds me to visit home and hear some of the non-progressive and close-minded words that come out of people’s mouths.

BUT, this is how I came to learn how much power a simple word can have.

I love my B Word Lifestyle.

I am taking back my B Word.

To me, I don’t see B Word as “bitch,” although that is probably what will be the first thing that comes to mind to most when they see the phrase.

To me, B Word encompasses all the things I love and wish to embody.

When brainstorming what B Word is to me, here are a few of the things that came to me: Bay Area, Berkeley, bold, boss, beautiful, brains, Bear (GO BEARS!), best, bliss, bravery, body-positive, brilliant. But above all, to be; being.

As B Word’s slogan, I chose what I believe to promote a positive lifestyle:

Be Bright. Be Beautiful. Be Bold.

Be your B-Word.

I think if we can learn to embody these positives, we are empowering ourselves and giving meaning to something that can demean. By taking back the word, we are taking away its agency and giving it new life. Be your B Word.

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