What are the origins of the phrase ’sexist pig’?
The phrase came in to common use by the women’s movement in 1972. Back then the term was Male Chauvinist Pig – but since then it’s been abbreviated to ’sexist pig’. ‘Pig’ is used in a new-ish way here. People began referring to police as ‘pigs’ back in the 1880’s – here in the phrase ’sexist pig’ they are using it in a similar way – pig in the first sense was an authority figure, and in the expanded feminist sense, extends to all powerful men.
