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AIBU?

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Original poster

Isn't "she" gorgeous? Look at "her".......argh!

258 replies

HibiscusIsland1 · 02/09/2026 14:45

This trend (on Insta etc) for referring to inanimate objects as "she"........it is infuriating - handbags, holiday homes, bronzer......make it stop! I'm a 50 year old women and largely follow women of a similar age. It's infantile and ridiculous. AiBU?

OP posts:
RelaxAndDetox · 02/09/2026 15:46

Anythingbuthelpful · 02/09/2026 15:33

Totally with you. I think I posted this on a thread about annoying phrases the other day. It's often followed by "giving". Like talking about handbag, saying "she's giving retro vibes".

And then there's "girlies". "hey gym girlies...". Bleugh. I'm not a girlie. I'm a peri-menopausal mother. Thanks and kindly fuck off.

Edited

It all sounds very immature and for 'followers'. Some people just have to follow everything a 'famous' person does/says/buys/etc. Infantile. Toddlers copy.

Lovelyview · 02/09/2026 15:44

Post something snotty and unfollow them. Yes, it is very irritating.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 02/09/2026 15:43

Iris2020 · 02/09/2026 15:41

Agh yes. It irritates me almost as much as nhs literature referring to babies as "she". I'd rather have "they" or even "it" than "she" or "he" for a baby who might be of the opposite sex.

I haven't seen that , usually it's Baby ( now hold Baby like this, now prepare the bath for Baby ).

Clydebuilt · 02/09/2026 15:43

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 02/09/2026 15:42

There was a thread on Style and Beauty where someone was referring to a handbag as "she/her".

I switch off anything where the narrator/presenter speaks in that God awful Vocal Fry voice . Cannot abide it, assaults my ears and gives me instant switch off .

My cars are all male and have names . I thought that was quite normal 😆

I cannot WAIT for this vocal fry garbage to be over!! I can’t bear it!

LlynTegid · 02/09/2026 15:42

Agree with the OP about its use for things such as handbags. The English language has only one word for 'the'. Very different with some other languages and that's how I get caught out often when speaking them.

NancyThompson · 02/09/2026 15:42

ProfessorofDarkArts · 02/09/2026 15:14

‘She’s giving…’ is an instant unfollow for me or any combination of the two. Just speak bloody English you knobs 🙄

"Serving". Hideous phrase, unless someone is actually serving me my coffee or my drink.

ItsOnlyMee1 · 02/09/2026 15:42

Get off instagram altogether. When you drop the addiction you will feel so much better off.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 02/09/2026 15:42

There was a thread on Style and Beauty where someone was referring to a handbag as "she/her".

I switch off anything where the narrator/presenter speaks in that God awful Vocal Fry voice . Cannot abide it, assaults my ears and gives me instant switch off .

My cars are all male and have names . I thought that was quite normal 😆

Iris2020 · 02/09/2026 15:41

Agh yes. It irritates me almost as much as nhs literature referring to babies as "she". I'd rather have "they" or even "it" than "she" or "he" for a baby who might be of the opposite sex.

Directly171717171717 · 02/09/2026 15:41

I hate it when women and gay men refer to themselves as ‘she’ on Insta. ‘Oh she’s fancy today’ or ‘wow she’s brushed the hair’ or whatever with a selfie. Drives me absolutely mad.

TheTortiePuffinNeedsHerBreakfast · 02/09/2026 15:39

Reminds me of "irritating influencer bingo" that I once heard. Talking about a handbag - "she's dropped in the Spring edit". That's 3 irritants in one!

DierdreDaphne · 02/09/2026 15:36

It's pathetic (as in, rather sad) - it makes it sound as though the speaker thinks the handbag/shoes/sofa are their friend.

You aren't 5?

Original poster
HibiscusIsland1 · 02/09/2026 15:35

50% of my undergraduate degree was in linguistics so, again, I am well aware of how language evolves.

This AIBU is purely a lighthearted vent after being, yet again, irritated by a fifty something woman on Instagram with her new handbag: "She's arrived.....she's a bit spenny (!)" etc etc

OP posts:
MyThreeWords · 02/09/2026 15:34

My lovely old nana referred to every object as "he" (pronounced "ee" in her accent). I suppose if she had been talking about ships etc she might have deferred to the manly convention of calling everything they could steer "she". But she wasn't the seafaring type and I can only remember her talking about kettles, chairs, and such like.

Anythingbuthelpful · 02/09/2026 15:33

Totally with you. I think I posted this on a thread about annoying phrases the other day. It's often followed by "giving". Like talking about handbag, saying "she's giving retro vibes".

And then there's "girlies". "hey gym girlies...". Bleugh. I'm not a girlie. I'm a peri-menopausal mother. Thanks and kindly fuck off.

MyThreeWords · 02/09/2026 15:31

ShannonMacFarland · 02/09/2026 15:24

Everything started off as a "recent trend". There's really no difference at all. Some people feel threatened when they get a bit older and language moves on without them. It's happened forever and it's not a big deal.

Show quote history

It doesn't "move on without them". Older people are still part of the language community and are as capable of evolving language as anyone else.

I don't think the OP is objecting to linguistic evolution as such. She is objecting to a specific rather nauseating example of influencer-speak - a technique for advertising products. Acknowledging linguistic change doesn't mean we have to like every expression everyone uses..

Original poster
HibiscusIsland1 · 02/09/2026 15:26

ShannonMacFarland · 02/09/2026 15:24

Everything started off as a "recent trend". There's really no difference at all. Some people feel threatened when they get a bit older and language moves on without them. It's happened forever and it's not a big deal.

Show quote history

I do not feel threatened - it's not that deep. What a laugh. I just feel irritated - very, very irritated

OP posts:
ShannonMacFarland · 02/09/2026 15:24

HibiscusIsland1 · 02/09/2026 15:07

Thanks for the history lesson. I'm well aware of the tradition of ships being referred to as "she". What I'm talking about here most definitely is a recent trend. Influencers, mostly, referring to whatever product they are shilling as "she". Very annoying.

Edited
Show quote history

Everything started off as a "recent trend". There's really no difference at all. Some people feel threatened when they get a bit older and language moves on without them. It's happened forever and it's not a big deal.

Disturbia81 · 02/09/2026 15:24

I can’t stand it when men call cars and bikes “she” 🤢

IDrinkTeaAllTheTime · 02/09/2026 15:23

ThePeppyOpalScroller · 02/09/2026 15:00

It's not an Instagram trend. The word "She" has been used to refer to ships for hundreds of years. Cars, planes, trains, busses, all "She".

Yeah, the Titanic is the same as a handbag. Silly us.

Summer26woohoo · 02/09/2026 15:23

ThePeppyOpalScroller · 02/09/2026 15:00

It's not an Instagram trend. The word "She" has been used to refer to ships for hundreds of years. Cars, planes, trains, busses, all "She".

Mmm.

So if it's not a ship or similar, pack it the fuck in.

MassiveBackstory · 02/09/2026 15:22

ThePeppyOpalScroller · 02/09/2026 15:00

It's not an Instagram trend. The word "She" has been used to refer to ships for hundreds of years. Cars, planes, trains, busses, all "She".

Oh come on

JeanSimmons · 02/09/2026 15:21

Not me thinking that this is about trans 'women'.

IcedPurple · 02/09/2026 15:20

It's similar to the trend for inanimate consumer goods to be referred to in the first person. "I'm gluten free", "Recycle me", "I'm part of the meal deal".

Maybe an overreaction, but I find it a wee bit creepy.

ProfessorofDarkArts · 02/09/2026 15:14

‘She’s giving…’ is an instant unfollow for me or any combination of the two. Just speak bloody English you knobs 🙄