Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Unflip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Unflip

1 2 3

Original poster

Calling adult female employees 'girls'

56 replies

Mandytm · 04/03/2013 15:40

I was just in the post office and there was a sign on the wall saying 'please do not use your mobile phone while the girls are serving you'.

There were 4 women working behind the glass, all aged between 40 and 60 I would say.

It makes me think of the 17th Century when a rich English household might have an adult black man servant and call him 'boy'.

Am I the only one who gets so bugged by things like this?

OP posts:

sunshineandfreedom · 25/03/2013 11:03

I am trying to get my work colleagues to stop referring to us as 'the Compliance Girls' (kill me now) by reffering to them as 'compadres' and hoping it catches on

LittlePushka · 21/03/2013 22:10

There is an offensive phrase for toilet??!!

I did think it was somehat patronising...for someone about to spend rather more than a weeks pocket money on a car.

Or perhaps it wasn't a car, maybe it was actually a "toy" ???

HairyHandedTrucker · 21/03/2013 21:49

that wouldn't bother me as it's equal and also because "little boys/girls rooms"is just an in offensive phrase for toilet.

LittlePushka · 21/03/2013 21:41

So what do you all think of this: A large national chain of car dealers/car maintenance providers has toilets for its customers with "Boys" and "Girls" on the door.

I am no expert on driver licensing, but I thought 17 would be about the minimum age of customer to whom this company ought to be directing its marketing...

runningforthebusinheels · 19/03/2013 07:52

bump

slug · 18/03/2013 12:03

Thank you Tyrone for your valuable contribution to this debate

JacqueslePeacock · 18/03/2013 11:54

And perhaps check out what "tenses" means if you do manage to have extra time on your hands.

SimoneDeBeaver · 18/03/2013 11:15

Tyrone if women were taken seriously world-wide and educated and looked after by health systems as they should be, there probably would be a lot less starving children.

So think of the really big picture here, please?

SPBInDisguise · 18/03/2013 10:49

" bingodiva

i think youve got too much time on your hands to notice a sign and then complain about it because you dont like it. last time i looked girls were female, all the people behind the desk were female - the sign was accurate..."

By your logic all serial killers are human, all mners are human therefore all mners are serial killers...

Sunnywithshowers · 18/03/2013 10:35

Well done Mandy

TyroneDontMoan · 18/03/2013 06:57

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

VerySmallSqueak · 16/03/2013 11:02

Tyrone, I am concerned about the starving children in Africa. I'm also concerned about the starving children in any other country.I am concerned about many issues,in fact.
Including women being taken seriously.
It's not that hard,really,to actually care in general.
And action at grass roots level is what changes things so often.

HairyHandedTrucker · 16/03/2013 05:20

what have you done today Tyrone? anything? nothing? yeah that's what I thought. some of us are capable of being concerned about more than one thing. still, glad comedy relief is getting through....

willyoulistentome · 15/03/2013 23:04

My boss calls me 'top bird' - even in email communications. I'm not sure whether to take offence or be flattered.

Schooldidi · 15/03/2013 23:03

It is possible to care about big problems and small problems at the same time you know Tyrone.

TeiTetua · 15/03/2013 23:01

Well, "Think globally, act locally" is a common slogan that makes a lot of sense.

Original poster

Mandytm · 15/03/2013 22:58

Thanks Tyrone, I'm sure you've got all the bigger problems in the world covered so I'll focus on the small ones for now.

OP posts:

TyroneDontMoan · 15/03/2013 21:55

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

VerySmallSqueak · 15/03/2013 20:04

Excellent - a positive result!

SconeRhymesWithGone · 15/03/2013 16:51

Way to go, Mandy!

HairyHandedTrucker · 15/03/2013 16:02

good job Mandy!

Original poster

Mandytm · 15/03/2013 13:50

"Lady lawyer" ewww.

The Post Office just replied apologising and saying "this will be taken down and replaced with another sign with more appropriate wording."

OP posts:

HairyHandedTrucker · 13/03/2013 18:02

lady lawyer

HollyMadison · 13/03/2013 16:46

I hate it too. I especially hate that my parents and others of their generation will refer to female workers in administrative or similar roles as "girls" but females in "professional" roles will be referred to awkwardly as "lady lawyer" or whatever. Terrible.

HairyHandedTrucker · 13/03/2013 16:31

oliviamumsnet may very well call the rest of mnhq a bunch of cunts (in an affectionate manner obviously and because MN is a fairly informal forum) however she would probably draw the line at "cunts at work" because it is likely to offend others and would therefore be inappropriate. My dictionary comment was not directed you by the way so for someone who can read......

Unflip

1 2 3