BOSTON – Dan Hunt, a Democrat and state representative in Boston, proposed a new bill this week that would seek to make the use of the word "bitch" in public atmospheres criminalized. The proposed state law is already prepared to go before the state's judiciary committee, but there is no way the use of a word like "bitch" could be made illegal, right? Sure, it's profanity, but there is also the case of freedom of speech. On most issues, I tend to side with the Democratic Party, but I have to be with the Republican Party on this one, as they have already taken to criticizing Hunt's proposal.
According to the actual written legislation, the specifics of the proposed ban are as follows. “A person who uses the word ‘bitch’ directed at another person to accost, annoy, degrade or demean the other person shall be considered to be a disorderly person in violation of this section."
The reporting of such a potential "crime" could be instigated by the target of the curse word or by a nearby witness (or a nearby narc). The potential penalties of the bill are slated to be in the range of either a two hundred dollar fine or a six month stint in jail. Honestly, that just seems absurd to me.
Humorously, actor Aaron Paul responded to the potential legislation in a tweet.
Ummmm...what if it’s in a nice way?? Asking for a friend. https://t.co/DKD3Rhp7qP
— Aaron Paul (@aaronpaul_8) October 22, 2019
Paul, who is best known for portraying Jesse Pinkman on Breaking Bad, recently reprised the role in the Netflix film, El Camino. His character was known for inserting the word "bitch" into every possible sentence he spoke. It's a good thing Breaking Bad took place in the southwest and not in Massachusetts, or else Pinkman would really be in trouble.
As Boston Magazine also pointed out, this potential ban would also spell bad news for the hit musical phenomenon Lizzo, whose most popular song features the use of the word "bitch" heavily.
Granted, there is no way that this law would actually pass, but stranger things have happened. For now, we will just be keeping a watchful eye on the path it will take.