What do I think of Ricky Gervais’ idea?

Amanda Just asks what people think of Ricky Gervais’ renaming hunters “cunters,” reminding us to “remember, he’s English. The word is used more frequently on that side of the pond.”

Of course, I think it’s witty and very helpful. Here in the US, I just don’t hear people called cunts often enough, so I appreciate this clever new deployment. It’s not at all harmful to women, and linking women to cowardice and murderousness doesn’t perpetuate misogyny in any way. And anyway, misogyny has nothing whatsoever to do with the oppression of animals, so we certainly don’t want to deny ourselves the opportunity to make tactical use of it.

In fact, I think we should expand on this brilliant idea and start using similar slurs for other exploiters and killers of animals: trappers could be Jappers, for example, and we could start referring to fagtory farming. It’s a totally fun and productive way to promote an ethic of compassion and care, and won’t put potential activists off of the animal liberation movement in the slightest.

I also think we should remain silent about, and join if possible, campaigns of threats and harassment against women who hunt. There’s really no danger there. Just good activism. I know King Juan Carlos was also threatened with rape and called a whore when his hunting pictures were made public, so it can’t be about women. Gervais’ “spot the typo” was original and super funny. The animal liberation movement can’t go getting all soft and sympathetic and PC.