n. An effeminate, foppish, man, or a man overly uxorious, hen-pecked.

Now,
you all know I’m not the sort to mock a person’s gender, and do hold
with the notion that bullying is one of humanity’s chief crimes against
itself. Therefore, I’d like to attempt to explain and redeem the word,
so that it doesn’t fall entirely away, as it is such an enjoyable word,
when used as a counter to the still popular “peacock”, which to this day
suggests that male pageantry is perfectly acceptable so long as it is
contained.

This term was used to draw a man out of cowardice
(which was considered the female realm) or self indulgence (also female
to the Medieval), by comparing him to a woman or suggesting he was
submissive to women. However, that is the male conception of the female
state, so allow me to suggest that only women should be allowed to use
the revived word, both as a counter to the masculine notion of
femininity and as a reclamation of the ownership of that realm. Which is
to say, women should use the term to illustrate that only women have
the right to declare what is female or effeminate. Why?

Why not let this pejorative pass into the dictionary’s vaults?

Because
its only modern equivalent, “pussy” is a female, sex-coded term, and I
despise it. While the word “meacock” contains male sex-coding. If the
word declares a man subservient to women, then let women be the ones to
suggest that no woman ever claimed their service in that way, or that it
is an excuse for them to be a coward and is not acceptable, especially
to the brave woman who stands there in judgement. If used by a woman, in
specific ways, it is a refutation of the masculine idea of womanhood,
much the same way a woman tells a man to “grow some balls” to keep up
with her.

For this example, I will give you a conversation:

• Man: “I don’t want to get dirt under my nails.”
• Woman: “Don’t be such a meacock. You can use a nail brush.”

or

• Man: “I don’t want to stand up to him. He’ll punch me.”
• Woman: “What a meacock. I suppose I’ll stand up to him then.’

Does
my argument make sense? Does this archaic word with a highly genderfied
or sexist history have a place in the modern lexicon? Can women reclaim
it and put it to their use?

I leave it to the ladies to decide.