Bless your heart

Posted by RRC on August 27, 2009 at 15:46

In Reply to: Bless your heart posted by ESC on August 27, 2009 at 13:23:

: : question: Type your question here: I am trying to find the origin of Bless your heart (bless your little heart?) and what it means . I gather in the South it isn't a positive thing. Thanks.

: I don't know if this is original to Kentucky politics. But I heard state Senator Kathy W. Stein (D) -- in a pro-gay rights speech -- remark that you can say anything you want about someone as long as you add "bless his heart." She proceeded to talk about various lawmakers on the other side of the issue, ending each statement with "bless his heart" or "bless her heart."

As with many phrases, it can be used literally/positively (God bless you) or dripping with sarcasm so anywhere from "isn't that sweet" to "I pity you, you poor fool".
There's a mortgage firm in Dallas, Texas that uses it as humorous catchphrase in their commercials (Still paying rent? Well, bless your heart.).

• Bless your heart David FG 27/August/09