The Words “Master Bedroom”

Give Me Resting Bicycle Face

By Deanna Jordan

I hurried through the crowded restaurant to join my friends, explaining, “Sorry. I have been painting my owner’s bedroom and lost track of time!” A middle-aged man, seated at the next table leaned over to question, “Owner’s bedroom! Isn’t it a master bedroom? Why must you girls always make such a big deal about everything?” My RBF must have been on full display because the stranger added, “They are just words. Smile! You should be here to have fun!”

Ahhhhh! So many microaggressions in one interaction. The words “master bedroom” or “master bathroom” are not only rooted in misogyny, they are also a direct racist reference to slavery. The verbal assault does not end there. Many people seem quite comfortable demanding a woman to smile, yet I have never heard a man commanded to grin in a social situation. We can’t place all of the blame on the men though; women promote misogynistic vocabulary everyday.

Let’s start with the term, “bitch” or “Resting Bitch Face” (RBF). Not only is the term “bitch” reserved exclusively for women, who are being disagreeable or assertive, the term can also be slung at a man who is acting “girly” or “weak.” The male equivalent of the term for a disagreeable man is simply the slang word for his reproductive organ. Ironically, men often…