Judge Patricia Lynch, QC

Personally I think it's awful she is bringing herself down to the gutter She is a judge and not a fellow ruffian
it's not the word but the connectation that is now associated with the word which makes it so bad but the word itself is not the problem it's the fact that the judge saw fit to lower her position and that would have been equally bad if the she had said " Oi mate stop dissing me " or " stop mucking about " a judge is highly educated and respectable person to look up to and be a little cautious and afraid of .....how can you look up to someone who calls another by swear names or street talk in a court of the land
Disgraceful I personally feel

There is a big fuss about this because the judge is female. There would be far less fuss if the judge was male and the term used was prick or wanker. It is very transgressive in certain social strata for women and for older women in particular to swear. (Why else, I ask myself, is Mrs Brown's Boys considered hilarious by many?)
As a feminist, I don't like the use of the term cunt as an insult. It is slang for a female genitalia so why is it the worst insult you can fling at someone? Why is it so much worse than calling someone a dick or a prick?
What a lot of interesting sociology etc in this news story.

That's exactly what I asked, jess. Interesting.

The person,not the gender,why do you feminist always have to discriminate?

Marmark1

The word 'cunt' has been associated too often with true misogyny. And, more often than not, violence against women. It was the worst word the silly woman could have used. She is not fit to be a judge.

And it has nothing to do with her being a woman. (I don't believe a male judge would have dared to use it!)

Its a side issue but I quite simply do not understand what anyone sees in Mrs Browns Boys. Its just not in the least funny far less entertaining in any way. DH is in complete agreement with me in case anyone thinks I'm just being feminist!

You really think the word 'cunt' would be used in Mrs Brown's Boys?

I don't think so.

It's very much in the same class's as the 'n' word. Violent hatred behind it.

class

It was foul mouthed, no matter male or female

Iv fainted now,cover yer ears Reuben.

Yes but define 'foul mouthed'. I wonder if other cultures have 'bad' words and why we are led to keep viewing them as bad in some way. Do we have 'good' words which have a similar yet positive effect?

MBB - the humour seems to be that a man, dressed up as a middle aged woman is swearing. Is there anything else going on?
Marmark you really have an anti-feminist thing going this week don't you. What is so wrong with a belief that men and women should be treated equally in society? Do you think they are treated with equally and that it is all a big fuss about nothing?

There is a lot more going on jess. Have you watched it?

I do think that a lot depends upon how it was said - if she calmly looked him in the eye and repeated what he said dead pan, then I do not think that this is a matter for concern - she was simply repeating his words and showing how stupid and pointless they were. But if she retorted in a "sweary" or angry way, mirroring his behaviour, then it is not acceptable. It is not acceptable for a judge to lose their temper; but I do not see a problem with repeating the defendant's words in a way that highlights the stupidity of it.

But as she used the word, surely that means she accepted it's legitimate use as a swearword? (Which it shouldn't be)

"Marmark you really have an anti-feminist thing going this week don't you"

Patronising or what.

Doesn't Mrs Brown say 'fecking' a lot? Some say that isn't really swearing...

I especially dislike the word "cunt" because, as someone else said, it uses female genitalia as an insult - and usually in a very aggressive way.

I don't think the judge should have used this sort of language. However, I suppose judges are human and must get sick of having tirades of bad language and abuse directed as them by obnoxious individuals, such as this racist man. I think she responded to him in what was probably the only way he would understand.

I don't know if she should lose her job or not but I think there are probably worse things that judges do and they don't lose their jobs.

What is telling of our times is the freedom which the full word 'cunt' is used and the 'n' word not .

I dislike the word being used as an insult and regret the judge sank to the man's level in responding in kind. However, I can understand why she did. Personally an extra 6 months for contempt would have been more satisfying than the brief satisfaction of speaking my mind!

I agree with Luckygirl's comment regarding how the judge said it. She could only have unlined how pointless and foolish his use of that word was.

I do not see the issue as the language she used. The issue is that she shed her robe of impartiality and treated herself and the convicted defendant as contenders in a personal argument.

As far as I am concerned she could have replied to him in the impeccable language one would use at a funeral.Her wrong doing was saying anything at all

Isn't "fecking" just "fucking" with an Irish accent?