Wordslut: A Feminist Guide To Taking Back The English Language

A brash, enlightening, and wildly entertaining feminist look at gendered language and the way it shapes us.

The word bitch conjures many images, but it is most often meant to describe an unpleasant woman. Even before its usage to mean “a female canine,” bitch didn’t refer to women at all—it originated as a gender-neutral word for “genitalia.” This book deconstructs language—from insults, cursing, gossip, and catcalling to grammar and pronunciation patterns—to reveal the ways it has been used for centuries to keep women and other marginalized genders from power.

Amanda Montell, reporter and feminist linguist, explores these questions and how we can use the answers to affect real social change. Montell’s humor makes linguistics approachable, hilarious, and profound, shedding light on biases that shadow women in our culture and our consciousness.