Ladies, women, girls....

[kiwi girl]

I like 'go girl' and don't have a problem with 'guys' for a group of mixed gender (although probably only if the group is about the same age or younger than the speaker). I also associate 'lady' with upper class and an uptight attitidue to manners and doing the 'proper' thing - so I prefer woman.

I must admit I found it a bit strange when my bosses secretary called me 'doll' in a work email last week.

[light_sabe_r]

I dunno, even since watching Little Britain, the phrase "I'm a lady" has taken on an entirely new meaning...

"Two ladies on a BI-CIC-KLE`! Pay no heed!"



I'm a bit of a country bogan. Everyone's called mate and my closest friends and BF get the term of endearment, "DAHL!" which is short for "darling"
I like being reffered to as woman though, It's somehow empowering I guess.

[Trekhawk]

I dunno, even since watching Little Britain, the phrase "I'm a lady" has taken on an entirely new meaning...

"Two ladies on a BI-CIC-KLE`! Pay no heed!"



I'm a bit of a country bogan. Everyone's called mate and my closest friends and BF get the term of endearment, "DAHL!" which is short for "darling"
I like being reffered to as woman though, It's somehow empowering I guess.

LOL - bogan - I haven't heard that one for awhile. Im not sure bogans ride bicycles mate they are too busy doing laps in their big V8s hee hee back home in WA we call them bog laps. light _sabre a bogan......I dont think so!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Just yesterday I ran into a woman friend in the cafe in town. I'm 53 and she is about 45. At the very same moment we greeted each other simultaneously- me saying "Hey, Girl!" and she saying "Hey, Woman!". It was too funny.

I suspect she says "woman" because she is about 8 years younger than me and was growing up during the big women's lib era, while I was pretty much grown up already when that was going on.

[Zen]

I suspect she says "woman" because she is about 8 years younger than me and was growing up during the big women's lib era, while I was pretty much grown up already when that was going on.

Maybe it's just her preference.
I started saying "hey woman" when I had a roommate from Barbados who always said that. I liked the way it sounded, especially with her island accent.

[Deborajen]

Just yesterday I ran into a woman friend in the cafe in town. I'm 53 and she is about 45. At the very same moment we greeted each other simultaneously- me saying "Hey, Girl!" and she saying "Hey, Woman!". It was too funny.

Something similar happened at work the other day. A group of us was in the break room for lunch and another group came into the room (all of us are females). The incoming group said "Hey, guys" while the group already in the room said, "Hey, girls." We all laughed. Nobody was offended - it was just funny.

Deb

[Mr. Bloom]

I started saying "hey woman" when I had a roommate from Barbados who always said that. I liked the way it sounded, especially with her island accent.

Hmmm...I spent my early years in Barbados and remember our maid and my nanny referring to SilverMother as "mistress"... - yah' man

Lest you get the wrong idea, labor was cheap in Barbados in the '60's

[Pax]

Just yesterday I ran into a woman friend in the cafe in town. I'm 53 and she is about 45. At the very same moment we greeted each other simultaneously- me saying "Hey, Girl!" and she saying "Hey, Woman!". It was too funny.

I suspect she says "woman" because she is about 8 years younger than me and was growing up during the big women's lib era, while I was pretty much grown up already when that was going on.

I'm 47 and say "Hey Woman" to all my friends upon greeting. It's definitely (in my area anyway) an age thing. The young ones say "Hey Girl" the older ones say "Hey Ladies (or Gals)".

[Zen]

Hmmm...I spent my early years in Barbados and remember our maid and my nanny referring to SilverMother as "mistress"... - yah' man

She was only allowed to call me that when we were wearing our special outfits

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Queen- I guess that makes me one of th eYoung Ones then!

Zen- too funny!

There was a nurses aid in my mother's nursing home a couple years ago- he was from the caribbean islands somewhere too- he used to call my mother "Mistress" as well. We kept trying to convince him to call her simply by "Mrs.___" but he kept on the same.

[Starfish]

Just in the last few days, I have had a little spate of being called Honey and Hon...both in person and on the phone, by women who were definitely in my age range. ETA: Both in work settings, sometimes theirs, sometimes mine (no one in my office...but folks on the phone).

Maybe because my Mom used to call us Honey in a motherly way (which was great from my MOM), when we were kids, I tend to feel condescended to when I'm called Honey.

I'm kind of just dumbfounded when this happens...like, did I just hear that? It always prompts in my mind the question, How Old Are You, Anyway?

OK, just letting off steam.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Starfish-
I don't know if this is true for others, but I notice that the women who call people Hon or Honey in my town are the ones who seem less highly educated- I only experience the "hon syndrome" from women cashiers in the supermarket, from diner waitresses, receptionists, and from people working in WalMart or the Dairy Queen, etc.
Maybe it's a socio/educational kind of thing? Just my own observations, not trying to stereotype anyone....

[Tuckervill]

But, assuming that the cashier is less highly educated is stereotyping.

I think people who use that term are just more social and people oriented. They're probably more gregarious and outgoing than the average person. The gregarious person probably is drawn to customer service jobs where they deal with people all day.

Karen

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

But, assuming that the cashier is less highly educated is stereotyping.

I think people who use that term are just more social and people oriented. They're probably more gregarious and outgoing than the average person. The gregarious person probably is drawn to customer service jobs where they deal with people all day.

Karen

I do know what you mean. I used to waitress full time, and I also used to work in fast food restaurants full time. But i do think that it is a fact that "in general", people in minimum wage jobs have fewer higher educational degrees than people in higher paying jobs. That's not a stereotype- it's just generally true. There are many exceptions to this of course- and maybe more exceptions these days than there were ten years ago. Making that assumption about a particular person would be stereotyping I think.
I know lots of gregarious and outgoing people of various backgrounds, incomes, and educational levels, but they don't all call me "Hon".

Reading this whole thread has shown me that it is really difficult for everyone, or even just for woman, to agree on what they "should" be called by others. There is so much variety! There is no term that offends nobody. Maybe the closest one is "women", but even there it can be tricky depending on circumstances and context.
"Ma'am" is generally considered respectful....but it makes me feel so OLD!

Once DH and I were out dining in a fancy restaurant with a couple in their 70's who are very near and dear to us. The man proceeded to continually call the waitress (in her late 30's) "Princess". I was secretly mortified and embarrassed, but did I really want to correct a man in his 70's who is about the sweetest gentlest soul on earth? I was greatly relieved when the waitress handled it smoothly and didn't bat an eye. She understood that he was just trying to make her feel "special" (gag, gag) and she made allowances for his age. I remember dealing with that (and way worse) when I was a waitress. Ugh. I usually adjusted my reactions based upon the perceived intent of whatever was said. If the intent was to make someone feel "less", then I would react. Sometimes we just have to pick our battles.

[Starfish]

I know lots of gregarious and outgoing people of various backgrounds, incomes, and educational levels, but they don't all call me "Hon".

Yep!

I usually adjusted my reactions based upon the perceived intent of whatever was said. If the intent was to make someone feel "less", then I would react. Sometimes we just have to pick our battles.

Yeah, I know. I do get it. After all, my Dad was a B-17 Pilot in WWII...I mean, I understand gauging intent, generational issues, etc.

Also, I am sympathetic about the stereotyping issue, although I do understand there are generally true statistics about types of jobs/education, etc. I am in a business where normally I work in and out of my own office, etc, but I have to take "floor time" shifts to answer phones about twice/week. We don't have a receptionist, all of us in the office just share that work. I find it interesting to see how I am spoken to when people assume I am the receptionist (which, BTW, I have done a lot of in my earlier life) vs. when they realize I am not. I notice this difference both on the phone and with walk-ins, with both men & women.