Wench
Wench
Wench – is it good or is it bad or does it depend on where you are when you use the term?
According to the Oxford dictionary – Wench:
- noun – a girl or young woman; archaic usage – a prostitute
- verb – to consort with prostitutes
OK. Looking at these definitions, wench could certainly have a derogatory connotation. I can say with certainty that if you just walked up to someone on the street and called them a wench that it would end badly. One of the definitions being a young woman… well that is not too bad. I guess you might get into trouble for calling someone young if they want to seem older but the problem is going to come when they have the idea that a wench is a prostitute. And certainly with the verb form, to wench meaning to consort with prostitutes, I can see where that would be a negative take on the word. Calling someone a wench would be like calling them a hooker. But I believe that the Ren Fair scene has taken the word back.
First things first, with the number of pirates that attend fairs, the women that hang with the pirate crowd have no problem being called wench. In fact you can pick up t-shirts all over the place that declare your wench-hood. You can even buy your outfit online that is described as a wench outfit or from a category that is titled Pirate Wenches.
On Dress Like a Pirate you can go to the wench category and get yourself everything you need to ‘own’ your wenchdom. As you can see from their photos and from the selection of products they have, not everyone has a problem with being called wench, or shopping in a category that labels them as wenches.
Secondly, there are many types of wenches. From the Kissing-Wench to the Mead-Wench some wenches perform a necessary function in society and in fact all manner of hell might occur if the wenches were not there.
- The Kissing-Wench – This is the lass that you see at the fair with the corset laced to 11 and the lipstick that is redder than a rose. The Kissing-Wench festoons everyone and everything that has a cheek with a perfect pair of red lips. In turn, you present the wench with a tip. It always amazes me at the end of the day the number of people that you see sporting the red lips of the Kissing-Wench.
- The Mead Wench – This young lady is always the hit of the fair. She mans, or womans, the mead booth. She is the provider of the mead. She is a lovely wench, whoever she may be. She does not mind being called a wench, that is her title and they love it.
- Washing Well Wenches – Not only are these ladies proud of their wenchdom. The have it right there in the title of their show. Wenches in corsets with lots of water what more can you ask for. They horse around throwing water into the crowd and having a great time at each and every show.
So, back to our original question: Is wench good, bad or indifferent? I would say it depends on where you are. If you are at a Ren Fair go for it! Sling the word wench around as much as you like. No one will be offended. Make sure that you are not meaning it in a derogatory fashion and you will be taken in to the world of the Ren Fair with open arms. Embrace the word Wench, just make sure that if you embrace a wench she is OK with it.
-Bobaganush the Pirate
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