vocative "bitch"

[Judy Yeh]

> I have been told that this practice is found in US biker gangs, and
> internationally in-group between homosexuals, both male and female.
>
> Roly Sussex

A colleague of mine used to be a city bus driver in Portland, Oregon.
There was this gay couple who regularly rode his bus (he assumed they
were gay because they always shopped for groceries together and were
quite touchy-feely). One day he was quite surprised to hear the bigger,
butch man tell the smaller, stereotypically effeminate man, "Be quiet,
bitch!" Apparently the smaller man didn't say anything in reply. This
would have happened approximately 15 years ago.

What came to mind when I heard the above were certain public service ads
that I've seen on subways and buses. They were targeted to gays and
lesbians, telling them that homosexual relationships can be abusive too
and that help is available for victims of same-sex domestic
violence--call this 1-800 number.  I suppose this is an example of
"bitch" as an endearment and not gay and lesbian domestic violence.

Judy