Up until my middle twenties, I bristled a little upon being called ma'am, but that's gone away since I certainly can no longer be called miss. (Besides, I actually feel "miss" is a rather dismissive term, as in, "Don't you worry your little head about that, miss.")

So, for those that are offended by the use of ma'am... What is the alternative? In a situation in which you would use "sir" out of deference or respect, what would be the way to respectfully address a woman?

I'm genuinely stymied.

On a competely different tangent, I hate when people use "lady" to call out to a woman (or, worse yet, address a woman). I can never keep myself from hearing in my head, "Hey, Laaaaddddyyyyyy!" a la Jerry Lewis.