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Keri's avatar

Anne Lamott was my gateway to progressive Christianity. I remember when I first read her books being absolutely (but delightedly) shocked by her language, her hatred of Bush & Cheney, and the fact that she was a Democrat and a Christian. But I fell in love with her honesty and vulnerability and the relatability of her writing and feelings. I never used to say any bad words...I was taught it was sinful and wrong and never necessary. But then I started deconstructing and shifting my faith and was so angry about so many things and I needed ALL the bad words....especially fuck and shit and asshole and flipping people off. Then I watched a documentary about how people who curse (and it matters that you use real curse words, not darn it or similar fake ones) and especially the ones who say fuck can tolerate painful moments longer. The study was holding your hand in ice cold water....and the ones who kept saying FUCK could last significantly longer. And a new study is being done to find out if this still works if you say the words in your head and not out loud.

Anyways, all that to say...I fully embrace all the curse words now and while I do censor myself around my nieces and nephews, and my mom, and at work....in my personal life and especially in my car I say them all loudly and proudly and without one single FUCK to give.

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WritingReadingSoul's avatar

A virtuous southern young lady never used “bad” language. However, when I went to college, also in the south (not that that probably matters), we girls started using the word “shit” and progressed from there. Freedom like Jon Batiste sings it!

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