to say to people I am not a girl, I am a woman.

[blueraincoat]

Just that really.

It really, really grates when people call me a girl. I am not a girl, I am a woman, I haven't been a girl for a while now. I just find it incredibly patronising. Whenever I say this people sigh or tell me I am being pedantic. Am I the only one this gets to?!

This thread reminds me of the Whitney song ''i'm every Woman...'' :( (poor Whitney).

I'm a woman not a girl at 36, but i do get called ''good girl'' at times & it's irritating. Like a dog gets called ''good girl'' or ''good boy''.

Some words like 'girlie' as in you like cute, feminine or pretty things are hard to translate though because 'womanly' (i think?) refers to a woman's shape not preference in accessories. Or something.

Being called a girl doesn't offend me in the slightest - I like it. I also like being a lady/woman/chick - no probs.

Slug is right. It's really interesting that so many people associate negative connotations with the word woman, and say it's a word they feel uncomfortable being called. That's very telling.

I don't think many men would object to being called a "man". Why the difference?

As I said before, I'm sure the vast majority of people intend no disrespect when they use the word "girl" - but it's a term that confirms many deeply rooted sexist attitudes that society just take for granted most of the time.

slug is not right OR wrong.
Slug has her opinions just like the rest of us.

Ok, well my opinion it that slug is right. About the negative connotation thing.

Hope that clears that up.

I really don't mind being called a girl. I say 'I'm meeting the girls tonight'. Equally DH says 'I'm out with the boys tonight'. He doesn't say I'm out with the men, it would sound silly. It differentiates between going out with a mixed group or a single sex one.
Don't see it as sexist at all. I use 'boys' at work too.

I like being called a girl it makes me feel younger than I am. We have a new manager in work, I worked with him for the first time yesterday and until he knew my name he referred to me as 'lady' had to laugh as I am certainly not ladylike! He is only 22 though but only looks about 12 bless him

The whole girl thing has me a bit confused. I really don't mind it. I am the manager of a team of 5 members of staff who are all females all in their 50's. They work in the office next to me and the other day I had to direct a workman to in into their room to check something out. I cringed a bit when I said "ask one of the girls next door" Ladies sounds a bit odd (and a bit little Britain) and women a bit impolite. What should I have said?

Btw if they were men I would probably refer to them as lads.

I'd definitely prefer ladies to girls. I am a long way past being a child.

One of our supervisors called out 'girls' this evening as we were leaving. I corrected her immediately and she apologised and changed it to ladies. All done light heartedly but the point was made. She's literally half my age.

Saying that, my mum's partner will tell her I'm on the phone by saying 'it's young married'. Young?! 46

My Gran is 93 and refers to the 'girls' who are in the same home as her