To piggyback off of Ariel’s great post on media hysteria about Hillary’s balls, I’d like to add this etymological food for thought on the words “pussy” and “balls.”

If we look a little closer at the anatomical functions of pussy and balls, we’ll discover that our use of these slang words in everyday language is incorrect.

Let me explain: my boy Dan Savage (who, if you don’t know, is a fantastic syndicated sex columnist second only to our own Jersey Girls), was recently called out by a thoughtful fan on his use of the word “pussy” to describe weakness and inferiority. Dan responds, admitting that using the word “pussy” to describe weakness is anatomically inaccurate. A better word to describe weakness, if we MUST use a body party, would be “balls” or “scrotum.” I paraphrase here:

“Pussies are a strong and awesome network of muscles! They can take a pounding! They can spit out human beings! They are anything but weak and pliable! We should promptly begin to use the term ‘pussy’ to mean strong, empowered, and all-around the opposite of its original connotation. Let us now use the word ’scrotum’ where we had previously said ‘pussy.’ Consider: scrota (?) shrink up in the cold, are extremely vulnerable, reduce people to a blubbering fetal position when they are even tapped, etc.”

Now, I am all for divorcing gender from power, as Ariel advocates. But maybe James Carville should reconsider bestowing the wonder of the scrotum on Hillary Clinton. And Obama should respond to assertions that he is a ‘pussy’ with a simple shrug and a, “Gee, thanks, guys!”

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