MILF (/mɪlf/, as if read as "milf") is anacronym that stands for "mother I'd like to fuck".[1][2] This abbreviation is usuallyused incolloquial English instead of the whole phrase. It connotes an older woman, typically one with children, considered sexually attractive.[1][3][4][5] A related term is "cougar", which suggests an older woman in active pursuit of a sexual relationship with younger men.
History
Linguist Laurel A. Sutton states that MILF was one of nine terms for "attractive women" collected from undergraduates at a large linguistics class atBerkeley in the spring of 1992. Typical users would be "college students fromEast Contra Costa, California".[6] The term was widely popularized by the filmAmerican Pie (1999), whereJohn Cho's character (simply credited as "MILF Guy No. 2") used the term to refer toJennifer Coolidge's character Jeanine Stifler.[7][8]American Pie screenwriter Adam Herz clarified that he did not invent the phrase.[9]
A 2007 article inNew York magazine stated the evidence that the term had become mainstream included "25,000-plus MILF-branded mugs and tees onCafé Press to a rash of hot-mama books (The Hot Mom's Handbook,Confessions of a Naughty Mommy,The MILF Anthology), television shows (Desperate Housewives,The Real Housewives of Orange County, the forthcoming contest "Hottest Mom in America", and a pilot in development calledMILF & Cookies), and, of course, a concomitantporn genre".[10]
Some media outlets found the expression offensive to women, and suggested replacing it with WHIP, coined by Bibi Lynch, which stands for "women who are hot, intelligent and in their prime".[11][12]
Although not yet as widespread in popular culture at large, the formsDILF (for "dad/daddy I'd like to fuck") orFILF (for "father I'd like to fuck") are used amongandrophiles to refer to a sexually attractive older man[14] who is likely a father.
The termsGILF[15] (for "granny I'd like to fuck") andsilver fox refer to attractive, highly-sexual older women (55+), regardless of child-bearing status.
In popular culture
In 2002, a resident of the U.S. state ofWashington applied for avanity license plate reading "GOTMILF", a parody of the "Got Milk?" advertising slogan. This plate was approved (the applicant claimed MILF meant "manual inline lift fluctuator"), but it was later cancelled after complaints were filed against it.[16]
In December 2007, low-cost carrierSpirit Airlines ran a controversial advertising campaign, using MILFs to promote their tropical destinations, based on a different acronym: "Many Islands, Low Fares".[17] In January 2009, Spirit ran the campaign again.[18]
In 2013, an apparel company,True & Co., parodied the phrase in advertising for its line ofbrassieres, converting it to "Mom I'd Like toFit". The campaign garnered negative attention.[19]
SMILF is an American comedy television series starring, created, written and directed byFrankie Shaw onShowtime. It is based on Shaw's short film of the same title.[20] The series' name,SMILF, is a play on the term "MILF", with the "S" standing for "single"[21] or "Southie" (a nickname forSouth Boston, Massachusetts), or both.[22]
In 2016,Fergie released the song "M.I.L.F. $" as well as an accompanying video featuring numerous famous mothers.[23][24]
The 2018 French comedy filmMILF is about three childhood friends who become MILFs, seducing three young men.[25]
^Sutton, Laurel A. (1995). "Bitches and Skankly Hobags". In Hall, Kira; Bucholtz, Mary (eds.).Gender Articulated: Language and the Socially Constructed Self. Routledge. pp. 279–296.ISBN978-0-415-91398-0.
