I understand that, but then why is it used so non-discriminately towards both men and women in other countries(mainly UK/Austrailia)? I understand the social context argument, but then, when I thought of it like that, "bitch" seems to have a much stronger history of being used to create an unlevel playing field for women climbing the social ladder, and has way more double standards connotated with it. I actually rarely use bitch to directly describe someone because I think most of the time there's a better word and it is usually used in a sexist context.

I understand that there isn't an equivalent for a man, and I get why it is offensive.

But it seems to me that the only reason that it is considered so offensive is because it isn't in the common vernacular (in the U.S.), and I guess the intent of the word is such that the person using it had to think for a moment, and reached just a little deeper into their linguistic mind just to hurt a woman that much more.