The m-word

[Doug Harris]

I would imagine that _could_ be interpreted as offensive
in certain contexts, but not in just any old context. But
I'd think the 'offender' would pretty much have to be _trying_
to so offend.
Perhaps someone needs a desensitization or imagination-dulling
course.
(the other) doug

> A student in my Shakespeare class announced that the=
 word "moist" (which I had uttered to describe Egypt in _Antony & Cleopatra=
_) is offensive to women. Some of the other women in the class concurred (n=
ot hostilely--just as a matter of information for a clueless male professor=
). I was somewhat flabergasted, and nobody would articulate a reason for th=
e offensiveness--except for one male student's eventual suggestion that the=
 word reminds women of sexual arousal. That association is not at all besid=
e-the-point of my description of Egypt in the play--but why would such a co=
nnotation make the word offensive per se? As far as I could ascertain, "dam=
p" and "wet" don't carry whatever stigma attaches to "moist." What am I mis=
sing here?!> > --Charlie> _________________________________________________=

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