Calling everyone Princess

[Trophyfoot]

I have a friend who manages a team of mostly women, and has done a similar role in various organisations for about 25 years.

He seems a genuinely good guy, always wants to do the right thing and seems genuinely contrite, wanting to learn, if I point out casual sexisim.

He struggles with names and says when he was younger he called everyone, male and female "Princess". He reckons everyone liked it and some even took offence if he didn't call them Princess. He was (lightheartedly) lamenting the fact that you can't do that anymore and he can't find an alternative to "Oi you" when he can't remember a name. He does have a diagnosed processing problem.

Anyway, I worked in a very sexist male dominated industry all through the 80s 90s and early 2000s and I don't think Princess would have been OK even then. Am I remembering it wrong?

I think that many people, more so back then, sense a tone or atmosphere when someone is talking to them. Speech is nuanced, in a way the written word isn't.

There are men who haven't said a word out of place, who give me the creeps and if they called me princess, love, sweetheart or any one of the the many terms some men use, it would really bother me. Likewise if someone uses a 'similar term' in a patronising voice, or within a patronising 'explanation'.

Other people, you can tell, it is just a generic term they use, (especially when used for both men and women, in a congenial work team).

Generally, I just let it wash over me.

2 exeptions (but I judge the person saying it and don't get upset) when anyone calls me 'hun' or when a much younger male calls me 'love'. Yeuk to both

I had a boss who called Every one "Lovely " she was female is that any worse ?

As with most things it really depends how it's said.

I also worked with a Turkish guy who called all of his female colleagues darling regardless of age I saw nothing in it, he wasn't being creepy.