Text: “Sweating like a whore in church”

Context:

The informant heard this phrase used often in Mississippi, mostly by people referring to themselves when it was hot outside. The implication is that a sexually promiscuous person is disobeying the wishes or laws of God, and is anxious or scared while entering into His place of worship. 

Analysis: 

Though the word “whore” elicits strong emotions in almost any context, this simile is generally used light-heartedly without much thought given to the word itself. This is at least in part because the person saying it is usually drawing a comparison between the “whore” and themselves, not another person. It could be used to refer to another person, but even then it doesn’t seem to be given as much weight as if it were said outside of the simile. 

This is because the simile utilizes humor. A whore in a church doesn’t really sweat profusely, but to imagine the scenario is funny to those who encounter the simile. The vast difference between the person saying the simile and the whore in the simile also adds to the humor. 

Although the simile is said lightheartedly and the audience is meant to focus on the comparison, it still indirectly reinforces Southern social norms. We don’t know anything about the person in the simile except that they are a whore, they are in church, and they are sweating. The nature of the simile means that they are sweating because of the two other qualities they have, otherwise it wouldn’t make sense to bring them up. Therefore the whore has reason to sweat and be anxious or scared, and the audience should avoid finding themselves in that scenario.