Reclaiming Language: The Cultural Evolution Of Taboo Expressions In Modern Discourse

In the early hours of July 3, 2024, a viral social media clip from Madrid sparked a transatlantic conversation not about politics or climate, but about language—specifically, the phrase “cojiendo por el culo.” Far from being merely crude slang, its reappearance in public discourse reflects a broader reckoning with how Spanish-speaking communities navigate intimacy, power, and linguistic ownership in the digital age. What was once confined to whispered conversations or aggressive exchanges has now entered mainstream dialogue through music, film, and even academic debate. Artists like Rosalía and Bad Bunny have weaponized such phrases not for shock value, but as cultural signifiers—reclaiming raw vernacular from colonial suppression and generational stigma. Their usage mirrors a global trend: marginalized dialects and sexual lexicons are no longer hidden; they are performed, studied, and, increasingly, respected.

This shift parallels movements in English-speaking cultures, where figures like Megan Thee Stallion and Lil Nas X have redefined explicit language as empowerment rather than degradation. The difference, however, lies in linguistic heritage. In Latin America and among diasporic communities, expressions like “cojiendo por el culo” carry layers of history—colonial censorship, machismo, Catholic guilt, and Afro-Caribbean resistance. Linguists at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid note a 40% increase in academic papers analyzing vulgarisms in pop culture since 2020. These phrases, once policed by conservative media gatekeepers, are now dissected in university seminars on sociolinguistics and gender studies. The normalization isn’t about promoting vulgarity; it’s about acknowledging that language evolves through lived experience, not institutional decree.

The societal impact is tangible. In Mexico City, youth-led collectives are using candid sexual terminology in public health campaigns to combat misinformation about anal sex and STI prevention. In Miami, bilingual therapists report that clients increasingly use Spanish slang during sessions to express trauma or desire more authentically. This linguistic honesty challenges the long-standing double standard where English expressions like “f*cking” are normalized in media, while their Spanish counterparts are exoticized or censored. The disparity reveals deeper cultural hierarchies—where Whiteness dictates what is “acceptable” speech, even within multilingual communities.

Hollywood’s recent embrace of unfiltered Spanish dialogue, as seen in films like *The Last Thing He Wanted* and series such as *Gentefied*, further illustrates this shift. These productions don’t sanitize language for non-Spanish audiences; instead, they trust context and performance to convey meaning. It’s a departure from earlier eras, where even Pedro Almodóvar’s films were sometimes edited for U.S. release. Today’s creators argue that removing raw language strips stories of their emotional truth.

Still, backlash persists. Conservative groups in Spain and the U.S. have condemned the trend as “coarsening public discourse.” Yet, history shows that every linguistic liberation faced similar resistance—from James Joyce’s *Ulysses* to the F-word’s journey from obscenity to Oscar acceptance speeches. The current evolution isn’t degradation; it’s democratization. As language reflects reality rather than policing it, phrases like “cojiendo por el culo” become not just acts of intimacy, but statements of identity.