Dr. Lindsey Doe: Cuck, short for cuckold, is a 13th Century insult to men which means "you aren't satisfying enough in bed so your lover has gone elsewhere." It's thought to have come from cuckoo because some species of female cuckoo birds mate with multiple males and lay their eggs in other birds nests. There aren't definitive reasons why, but cuckold is also connected to goats and bulls in certain parts of the world. A hand gesture like this one, with goat or bull horns, non-verbally communicates "you're a cuckold," which is supposed to sting specifically heterosexual  men for two reasons: inadequacy and insecurity.

Calling someone a cuckold points out that his sexual abilities aren't keeping the wife pleased and she's wandered off to be with other men. Since 13th century women were treated like property, feelings of inadequacy were attached to property management as well as sexual performance. Insecurity comes up because typically the cuckold doesn't know about the adultery until he's insulted. So there's a jab to his sex life, a jab to his masculinity, a jab to his responsibilities and a jab to his intellect. 

That's cuckold, cuckoldry, cuck, cucky, cucked. Today these words are still used, but in slightly different ways.

1. Mainly as a political insult, and 
2. a desirable sexual fantasy or act in which one's partner is being pleased by others. 

Let's talk about them both.

The Insult

When someone these days is called a "cuck", "cuck liberal" or "cuckservative" the intent is emasculating political slander, not necessarily a literal reference to one's partner cheating.

Various groups, from white-supremacists to late-night talk show hosts use "cuck" to cut at each other, and as a result the word has become very popular. John McDermott's article explains this, and shows the upward trend of cuck as we got closer to the election.

The Sexual Desire

Cucking, the sexual desire, is mostly outside political spheres in places like porn sites, Craigslist classifies, kink and fetish community forums where men can find other men to have sex with their wives and girlfriends because they get off on being cuckolded.

Here are some theories on why this is one of the most sought out paraphilias of our time. 

1. Masochism 

Masochism is sexual arousal from having pain inflicted upon you. Sometimes that's being whipped, other times it's being called names. In the cuckoldry dynamic, the cuckold is a masochist. He's seeking emotional pain and humiliation from infidelity. He's turned on by agony.

2. Biological Charge

Evolutionary biologist, Robin Baker, theorizes that if a man thinks there's competition for his partner's egg, he will produce more sperm than usual to increase the likelihood that he's the one fertilizing it. It's also thought that the man's erections become harder, and his ejaculations become more powerful.

3. Counterphobia

Basically some people go toward what they're afraid of as a way of taking control over the fear. In the case of cuckoldry, seeking out the infidelity so that the terrorizing thoughts of it actually become the agenda. 

4. Compersion

The pleasurable feelings of your partner being pleasured by a better lover. Note, many people into the cuckold fantasy will masturbate while watching or listening to someone else pleasure their partner.

5. Intellectualism

Just like the rush people get from running a marathon, some cuckolds get a rush from the mental marathon of trying to outsmart primal jealousy and rage.


What do you think? Does cucking seem like a thrill or a threat? How do you think the insult affects human sexuality? Did you learn something new about the cuckoo bird?

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