"No Balls"

Posted by Bruce Kahl on April 22, 2001

In Reply to: "No Balls" posted by Lee on April 22, 2001

: Can anyone shed any light on the phrase "No Balls"? When used in a sentence such as " you won't do that because you have not got any balls".
: What is the true meaning of the phrase, what is its origin?
: My understanding is that is means "a lack of courage", though some of my colleagues claim the remark can be construed as sexist. I disagree. Can anyone help?

Your understanding is correct--"a lack of courage".
Just a guess but I think the origin is quite sexist.
In the US women are discriminated against in jobs, pay and status. They are second class citizens to males.
The phrase is a reference to a woman's lack of a scrotum and, therefore, her lack of status since she does not have the ability to produce testosterone, that manly of all manly body chemicals.

• "No Balls" ghiebert 04/29/01
• "No Balls" ESC 04/22/01
  • "No Balls" R. Berg 04/22/01
    • "No Balls" christine 04/22/01
      • "No Balls" Barney 04/23/01
        • All about balls ESC 04/23/01
          • All about balls Bob 04/23/01
    • I do (have some evidence) Massimo Mazzucco 04/22/01
      • I do (have some evidence) ESC 04/23/01