I’ve seen a number of bloggers around the block in the past year post about hated words and the one that comes up the most is, are you ready for this? Panties.
What do all these people have against panties, I wonder. Sure, it’s kind of an awkward phrase. It makes some people uncomfortable to think about a woman’s undergarments. Private parts, are well, private and therefore the coverings of said private parts should be private as well. Except, we don’t get a squinchy, uncomfortable, awkward silence when we mention boxers, briefs, or long johns. So what is it about panties?
I’m going to go out on a limb here and make some assumptions because I totally don’t feel like doing any research right now and say that the reason we don’t like panties is because women are supposed to be modest.
Okay, so guess what happened? In my quest to refuse to research, I had to go and research because I’m geeky and nerdy and slightly OCD about things like that. So, the original use of “panties” comes from 1845, in which is was a derogatory slur against a man as a diminutive form of pants. The first use of “panties“ being used to refer to a woman‘s undergarments comes from 1908.
And OMG people! The amount of history regarding underwear out there is astonishing!! I’ll leave it at this video and this article and heck! I’ll even throw in a Wikipedia article too because I don’t think I can handle all the panty talk anymore!
Unmentionables is a noun from the 1940s that means women’s underwear.
Example: Ursula undulated in her unique unitard. “At least I don’t have any unmentionables ruining the line,” she said.
What do all these people have against panties, I wonder. Sure, it’s kind of an awkward phrase. It makes some people uncomfortable to think about a woman’s undergarments. Private parts, are well, private and therefore the coverings of said private parts should be private as well. Except, we don’t get a squinchy, uncomfortable, awkward silence when we mention boxers, briefs, or long johns. So what is it about panties?
I’m going to go out on a limb here and make some assumptions because I totally don’t feel like doing any research right now and say that the reason we don’t like panties is because women are supposed to be modest.
Okay, so guess what happened? In my quest to refuse to research, I had to go and research because I’m geeky and nerdy and slightly OCD about things like that. So, the original use of “panties” comes from 1845, in which is was a derogatory slur against a man as a diminutive form of pants. The first use of “panties“ being used to refer to a woman‘s undergarments comes from 1908.
And OMG people! The amount of history regarding underwear out there is astonishing!! I’ll leave it at this video and this article and heck! I’ll even throw in a Wikipedia article too because I don’t think I can handle all the panty talk anymore!
Unmentionables is a noun from the 1940s that means women’s underwear.
Example: Ursula undulated in her unique unitard. “At least I don’t have any unmentionables ruining the line,” she said.
This post has been brought to you by the Letter U and the fine folks at Blogging A to Z. Check out more A to Z blogs here!
Your theory about the hatred of the word "panties" is as good as any I've read. Should I feel old that I regularly use the word "unmentionables"?
ReplyDeleteI don't think you should feel old. I say underwear or undergarments. I can't recall if my mom called them panties or underwear but I'm assuming underwear since that's what I use.
DeleteWell don't go and get your panties all in a bunch about it! We need to call them something, now don't we? I think Madonna cured the "unmentionable" movement. I mean she was one of the first to come out on stage in her underwear and do a show, right?
ReplyDeleteTrue they need to be something. I don't mind the word panties I just don't use it. And oh! how Madonna turned fashion on it's unmentionables!
DeleteI like to use the expression undergarments. It makes me feel like I'm in a Jane Austen novel :D
ReplyDeleteThere is something decidedly old-fashioned about saying undergarments, but I like it. It's quaint!
DeleteThat's so funny! The word I try not to use is 'hate'. As a seven year-old told me the last time I said it, several years ago, "Hate is a very strong word".
ReplyDeleteI try not to say hate about people. But things or occurrences? They're fair game! Like "I hate when spiders crawl across my face at night." I think I'm well justified in using hate!
DeleteThe word "panties" doesn't bother me at all. There are very few words that I dislike but I'm pretty comfortable naming off body parts. As long as I'm not talking to strangers or family. I think my extremely blunt friends forced me to be okay with words.
ReplyDeleteI like using the correct name of body parts. Using euphemisms makes them sound unnatural or shameful.
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