I'm trying to illustrate the weight that the word carries in my country with an example. I just didn't want you to get the impression that you could call a woman a cunt and JUST get dirty looks. It's not that kind of faux pas. I'm not saying that Americans aren't stupid for letting a word bother them. I just don't want you to say it one way, mean it another way, and have some American kick your teeth in while you are here trying to learn.

Let me set the scene.

You and a significant other are out drinking. In America. She has 4 too many, and you say she's had enough and it's time to go home. She starts hitting you. "Fuck you, I know my limit." Slapping you in the chest or something. You try to get her to leave, to stop her from drinking, and to get her home safe. You are dragging her by the wrist toward the door, because if she stays, she's going to get thrown out by a bouncer. Your patience wanes. "You are being a fucking cunt." slips out as you pass the threshold. The people out in the street only hear "CUNT" and since it's such a bad word here, they start yelling at you. They didn't see her hit you, or her being a drunk, or you pleading with her to get in the cab so you can get home safely. All they hear is "Cunt" and all they see is your hand on her wrist, dragging her toward the cab. In that moment, you are the bad guy, she is the victim. You won't have time to explain the nuanced definition that cunt has in England. One of those drunks is going to step in and try to "save" her. I've seen it happen. If you said it in a British accent, I'd know enough to know that you didn't mean it the same way. Most Americans will not.

If you would have said "You are being a fucking bitch" as you crossed the threshold of the bar, then everyone in the street would turn, look, and realize that she is being a ridiculous drunk person, and probably was being insufferable. You are dragging her to a cab because she's hammered and needs to go home. Just for using bitch instead of cunt, you get a huge benefit of the doubt.

Like ryan924 said: If they're being a cunt, you can call them a bitch. For some reason, cunt is the worst thing you can say ( after the N word).

Not saying that it makes sense, but for some reason, people here are OK with it. It will save you a lot of trouble. People will not be so quick to judge you.