The desire to start this article with an expletive was overwhelming. If I thought it could get published, I would’ve begun with my favorite curse, knowing that single word would catch your eye. Some may have been amused, others offended. Either way, if I began my stance on swearing with a word that rhymed with duck or ditch, you would remember this article, wouldn’t you? The same concept applies to classrooms.

Swearing is everywhere, regardless of whether we accept it or not. But the act of swearing encompasses more than just the cliché go-to’s; basically, it is the use of offensive language. So, how do we determine what is universally offensive and what’s not? What if someone is taking a sex and gender class and is offended by the names of the male or female anatomy? What if someone is taking a class that discusses the Civil Rights Movement, and the reading materials contain racial slurs? What if the teacher is attempting to get a silent, unresponsive class to wake up or remember the information and drops whatever bomb they choose?

Offensive language isn’t restricted to four or five letter words. It can be literally anything. So how can you censor every topic that one person finds offensive? Let’s use the Civil Rights or the Women’s Rights movement as an example; the obscenities used to describe those individuals cannot be left out of history because someone doesn’t want to hear it. By ignoring the language, however offensive it is, the emotion and intensity of the event is lost among blurred characters or black boxes. Offense is relative and there’s no way to say what is and what is not — ignoring offensive language rings of impossibility, too. Society would not let that happen; we enjoy our colorful words too much.

You could also argue that swearing is as fluid as language itself. Don’t believe me? Let’s turn to Shakespeare. “Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?” he wrote in the first scene of “Romeo and Juliet.” We toss the idiom to the side, resigned to thinking it is something of another time, when in reality, biting your thumb is the equivalent to giving someone the middle finger. The insult is lost on us because language, slang and what’s acceptable has changed with time. Who’s to know if the “F” word will hold the same sharpness 200 years from now?

But in the 21st century is it appropriate to use common curses in a classroom setting? The short answer would be “yes.” In a college class, students are expected to present themselves as adults, as freethinkers; however, if what we’re allowed to say is dictated and restricted, how adult are we? It reminds me of my adolescence. When I was little, I was scolded for telling my older brother to “shut up.” Our societal condition is the proverbial parent, yelling at you for saying “shut up.” With more offensive language, we have to accept any reproach that occurs. As adults we decide what words are, but we need to accept if we choose right. If that results in disapproval from the professor or surrounding students, we accept our choices and the consequences of them.

Under no circumstances do I condone swearing or use of offensive language toward another classmate or the professor. Language, whether offensive or not, is to portray a point, to create emphasis. Never should someone feel attacked by a direct comment or offensive slur because we have the right to speak our thoughts. Whatever comes out of my mouth is essentially my prerogative, but it is also my prerogative to speak with respect to my listeners. Desmond Tutu, a South African social rights activist, once said, “My father always used to say, ‘Don’t raise your voice. Improve your argument.’” This parallels the use of obscenities in conversations and in the classroom. Use words to create and fully express your thoughts. Curse words can potentially emphasize the emotion behind your point, but to aim your anger at another person is counterproductive. The freedom we have to speak is invaluable, but in misusing the language, we face disapproval and reprisal.

So I say swear. Swear because you’re intelligent enough to use it in the appropriate context. If a professor thinks your class is mature enough to handle explicit language, don’t take it lightly. Also, it probably means the professor doesn’t think you’re paying attention, so, you should interact more. Remember that swearing isn’t just using words that rhyme with duck or ditch, but saying anything that can sound offensive. Be conscious of your audience and your language. Words let you express your thoughts and feelings, and if you’re aware enough and mature enough, any word is at your disposal, a curse or otherwise.