TW: Brief Thoughts on Anatomical Metaphors

When the spouse and I talk first thing in the morning without caffeine, I think our conversations are a bit more off-kilter, somewhat entertaining, and a bit more unfiltered than normal since our brains are not working at full capacity without the sweet, sweet nectar of God (otherwise known as coffee). This morning, we ended up talking about anatomical metaphors that describe a person’s actions or characteristics. I brought up an example from a few months ago with a colleague:

Colleague: You have some cojones. 

Me: No, I don’t. 

Colleague: Yes, that took some cojones. 

Me: I literally do not have cojones. Why can’t a different word be used? 

Colleague: ... 

I myself have bought into this culture of language as well, telling a friend that he had major balls when facing a difficult situation. Which, anatomically speaking, he has them. And my friend is a brave individual. But why does this part of male anatomy parallel with courage and bravery? Why have I bought into this narrative?

In the morning conversation with my spouse, we were wondering about other anatomical words that would relate to courage and bravery. The only other one I could think of was that someone had heart. I don’t know if the coffee still hasn’t kicked in or that with recent personal and world events my mind is still operating in an interesting fog... but as of late, I’ve been struggling with a loss of words (which is awful for someone who likes to write). And I’m struggling to find another part of the human anatomy that communicates bravery.

Like... damn, you went all cochlea-out.

Or... that was all about the humerus.

It's all about the humerus.
Or in this case, the humeri.

When the coffee started to kick in, the conversation between my spouse and I became increasingly serious. I’m prone to asking out loud very obvious questions to which I already know the answer, but part of me has to ask the question out loud so it’s a part of the spoken conversation:

“Why do people use balls to talk about brashness and bravery?” 

To which I answered my own question out loud to my spouse and myself:

“Because patriarchy rules and has the power and that power isn’t for all. 
Because male genitalia is a part of anatomy that you can force upon and into another person. 
Because we live in a rape culture where it’s okay to treat people as less than and as mere objects. 
Because we live in a world where the words ‘power’ and ‘brave’ don’t mean what they should. 
Because sin is damn insidious.” 

I think about how rape culture communicates the most horrific of power dynamics, and that patriarchal language buys into this oppressive system. Maybe those with a penis, getting to whip out their genitals is what I would call brash, yes, but this is not what I consider to be brave. This is not what I consider to be courageous. But yet a dominant narrative, a dominant culture tells us otherwise. That if you have the powerful anatomy, you're awesome, and if you don't, then too bad.
Very either/ or.
Very ends of the spectrum and no life in between.
A dominant narrative tells us all sorts of awful things, that if you do not conform or buy into this dominant narrative, your body and your life do not matter.

As someone who loves how words are used and someone who believes that the Word made flesh came to dwell among us in the person of Christ, I also realize that there are consequences to the words we use (and do not use). I am also at fault for words used and words omitted; I continue to struggle and to learn and re-learn. I realize that words have power, and sometimes that power is oppressive and does not liberate. Words can give power to a segment of the population and victimize other parts of humanity, and there are times where we don’t even realize how entrenched we are.