“Don’t punch like a wimp. Use your hips!”
I glance up from my punching bag at the man who just spoke. He’s a stranger, not my instructor, yet he delivers a powerful blow to the heavy bag, demonstrating the technique with his muscular arms. The bag rattles violently.
I keep an eye on him, eager to learn how to strike with full force, yet the word “wimp” unsettles me, amplifying feelings of vulnerability. I lower my gloved hands to my sides, still feeling the lingering tremors of the bag.
Before I became a mother, I rarely reflected on the connection between my body and the term “pussy”—at least not in a derogatory sense, which often implies a man’s weakness or a woman’s impotence. However, giving birth to my daughter heightened my awareness of such dismissive language.
I literally pushed a tiny human through that anatomical structure. And believe me, it’s far from fragile. In fact, I could probably do it repeatedly if I chose to. Not to boast, but I find my body, and all bodies, incredibly resilient. After all, I challenge anyone to identify a part of the human body, regardless of gender, that rivals the strength of a woman’s anatomy, apart from the uterus.
While the term “pussy” generally refers to female genitalia, its derogatory use suggests weakness. This rhetorical device—synecdoche—uses a part (the pussy) to represent the whole (woman). When used to imply powerlessness, it extends that notion to encompass all women, regardless of their anatomy.
Let’s be clear: reproductive status does not define womanhood. There are women without vaginas and men with them. Nevertheless, using “pussy” in a derogatory manner diminishes all women and those who identify as such.
Giving birth is undoubtedly one of the most challenging feats a pussy can accomplish. However, I’ve heard the phrase “voting with their vaginas,” which seems equally challenging, but I digress. The experience of bringing a child into the world is a testament to strength, endurance, and love.
For me, the moment I gave birth was the pinnacle of empowerment. I achieved what seemed utterly impossible through sheer will and biological reality. On that day, over 300,000 women worldwide were doing the same incredible act, most utilizing their vaginas.
I would never equate motherhood solely with childbirth, nor would I diminish the many paths to motherhood that don’t involve labor. Let’s set childbirth aside for a moment; a pussy is meant for various purposes—primarily whatever its owner desires. None of those functions signify weakness. Instead, they encompass blood, pain, passion, love, pleasure… and immense strength.
It is precisely this extraordinary power of the female body that invites constant attempts to undermine, distort, regulate, and appropriate it. Whether it’s through portrayals of women in labor begging for medication or discussions about which parts of a woman’s body are deemed acceptable for public view (often influenced by male preferences), it’s clear that women’s autonomy is frequently contested.
Women often face abuse from the very men who profess to love them, and societal constructs surrounding female sexual purity can lead to life-threatening consequences. Young women are taught to avoid sexual violence, while young men are rarely educated about consent.
Women’s power is challenged repeatedly, and maintaining it demands exceptional strength. For me, all of this crystallizes around that seemingly trivial insult: “Don’t be a wimp.”
I’m not here to insult male anatomy; I appreciate the penis. Sure, it doesn’t compare to a vagina, but it’s fascinating in its own right. Ultimately, every body is a miraculous creation, capable of incredible feats and deserving of recognition.
I don’t need to belittle someone else to embrace my own strength. But I refuse to shy away from claiming it.
So, I turn back to my punching bag, shaking off the stranger’s words. I raise my gloves and strike the bag with determination. My hair clings to the sweat on my skin as I repeat my movements: one, two, slip, two, body, body. I feel a fingernail break inside my glove, but I keep going.
I remind myself: Hit harder. Strike. Hit like a pussy.
This article was originally published on August 11, 2016.
If you’re interested in learning more about home insemination, check out this article on at-home insemination kits. For insights on pregnancy, you can visit NHS’s resource on intrauterine insemination. And for beauty tips, explore how to accentuate your collarbones.
Summary:
This article challenges the derogatory use of the term “pussy,” advocating for a reevaluation of its meaning in relation to female strength and empowerment. The author reflects on her own experiences with childbirth and the broader implications of language that diminishes women. Emphasizing the resilience of women’s bodies, the piece calls for recognition of their strength without demeaning others.