The Word 'Cunt' Transitions from Obscenity to Mainstream Through Queer Reclamation and Artistic Use
The term 'cunt' is making a comeback from queer and drag circles into popular culture. Poet Eileen Myles encountered censorship when their poem 'Transmissions' was left out of a family anthology. Myles contends that this act undermines female sexuality, viewing 'cunt' as a form of reclamation. Historically, the word appeared in Henry Miller's 1934 book Tropic of Cancer, yet the Oxford English Dictionary did not include it until 1972. In voguing, the phrase 'serving cunt' represents feminine authenticity, which RuPaul has reinterpreted as 'C.U.N.T.'. Artist Marilyn Minter has used the term in pieces like 'No Cuntry for Old Men'. Myles connects its reclamation to modern political issues, such as the reversal of Roe vs. Wade, while Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour suggests its growing acceptance in mainstream discourse.
Key facts
- The word 'cunt' is gaining mainstream traction through queer and digital communities.
- Eileen Myles faced censorship in 2024 when their poem 'Transmissions' was removed from a Norton and Tin House anthology.
- Marilyn Minter's artworks featuring 'cunt' were shown in the 2019 exhibition Abortion is Normal at Eva Presenhuber, New York.
- RuPaul rebranded 'C.U.N.T.' as an acronym for 'Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve & Talent'.
- The Oxford English Dictionary did not include 'cunt' until 1972, despite historical usage dating to 1230s London.
- Henry Miller's 1934 novel Tropic of Cancer used 'cunt' in its opening lines.
- Tracey Emin's 1997 video CV: Cunt Vernacular and Eve Ensler's 1996 play The Vagina Monologues reclaimed the word.
- Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour in Stockholm displayed 'KNTY 4 News', referencing the term.
Entities
Artists
- Tracey Emin
- Eve Ensler
- Eileen Myles
- Henry Miller
- Kathy Acker
- Valerie Solanas
- Marilyn Minter
- Cindy Sherman
- Laurie Simmons
- Richard Prince
- RuPaul
- Beyoncé
- Shakespeare
Institutions
- Norton
- Tin House
- Oxford English Dictionary
- Rolling Stone
- Eva Presenhuber
- Planned Parenthood
- ArtReview
Locations
- New York
- USA
- UK
- Stockholm
- Sweden
- London
- England