To hate the term ''Lady of Leisure''

[superstarheartbreaker]

I have been working round the clock as a teacher of English and I have had to resign because of workplace bullying. I am too frightened to even check my emails. I have been on the sick for a week. Alreay I am etting 'lady of leisure' comments.
Actually I have been doing a lot of research into changing careers to be a legal secretary and I already have appointments lined up for courses etc. Plus I have been contacting supply agencies in order to get a bit of teaching. AIBU to hate this phrase? uggggrrr!

[FoxesRevenge]

I use it a lot. Sometimes in a nice way but other times as a polite way to call someone a slacker.

[Burren]

Who is saying this to you? How moronic. Pick them up on it and savage them. And then take a break for even a few days. It all sounds horrible, and if you are overdue some actual leisure.

[Waltonswatcher1]

I get it from other mums - saying you are a SAHP isn't a good conversation starter in my experience .

[FunLovinBunster]

I'm a SAHM. I am not a lady of leisure.

[lollipoppi]

I called into my accountants yesterday to hand my VAT return in, with my 3yo and 1yo, the accountants exact words were "Ohhhh I see your still a lady of leisure then"
Me and DP have owned a reputable business 3 doors down from the accts premises, and I hardly call running a business and being a SAHM to a 1yo am 3yo "leisurely"

I gave her my best smile and nod

[SometimesLonely]

lollipoppi He'd have received a few words from me.

[superstarheartbreaker]

People just don't have a clue do they?!

[Apatite1]

A euphemistic way of saying that you are a boring, pointless person with no useful purpose in life. Usually wrong, but on rare occasion, it's absolutely correct, I think it can only be applied to women who have no careers and have staff to raise their children while they host fundraising dinners and spa days.

Definitely not in your case!

[SunnySon]

I think it depends on the context. Lolllipopi I don't think I would be too pleased in your situation but sometimes it's used in a nice way, to acknowledge you're having a break from a stressful career.

I am a SAHM and often call myself (in a jokey way) a lady of leisure as it is more leisurely than my previous career. Those who know me know I am far from sitting around doing nothing and recognise it's a bit tongue in cheek. But yes I suppose it's very different if you're the one saying it, I might be a bit more defensive about someone else using the term to describe me.

[Bowlersarm]

I never know what to call myself.

Apparently, according to MN, I'm not a SAHM because my children are school age.

I wouldn't call myself a Lady of Leisure because housework and gardening etc is flipping hard work.

I think I'm just a sah, as 'housewife' is a word we aren't allowed to use either.

[IDugUpADiamond]

I am a SAHM with primary age DC and have been unsuccessfully looking for work for the past two years. I've had to 'laugh off' people calling me 'lady of leisure' many a time.

[BackforGood]

It depends on the context - it is my goal in life to get to such a position financially, so that I can become a lady of leisure, so no, it's not a term I hate at all, it just sounds as if it's being misused in your case OP (and some of the above posters replies too). However that doesn't mean it's an awful term in itself.

[fromparistoberlin73]

sounds to me like you have bigger issues than this phrase to be honest

[BsshBossh]

I met someone the other day who called herself a lady of leisure, with a big grin on her face. She told me it was true: her DS is at school, she has a cleaner and she spends all her free time at leisure. It was an apt description in her case; but not in yours.