Douche and its variants (douchebag, douchenozzle, etc) are terms of disapprobation often used by feminists.
In literal terms, douche or doucheing refers to "cleaning" a woman's genital area by flushing it with a liquid. Commercial douche products are sold to women with claims that they will make their genitals clean and fresh-smelling.
Some people assume that the term "douche" is rude/offensive because of its association with female genitals. However, when used by feminists, the negative associations aren't with women's vulvas or vaginas, but as follows:
- Douches are unnecessary. Women's genitals are generally self-cleaning, and don't need to be flushed with soap, lysol, or anything else to keep them fresh.
- Douches are harmful. Flushing the vagina or genital area with a douche can upset the natural balance of bacteria that keep it healthy, and can lead to the exact problems -- such as yeast infections or urinary tract infections -- that they claim to prevent.
- Douches are a tool of the patriarchy. They are promoted in such a way as to make women feel bad about their bodies, and the sale of them enriches men at the expense of women's physical and emotional health.
For this reason -- i.e. that douches are harmful tools of the patriarchy -- the term has come to be a popular one among feminists, to refer to people who are misogynistic, sexist, etc.
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