Settle a friendly disagreement

[MTBMummy]

DP admitted to calling an unknown woman "Love", my view is it's an offensive and degrading term, he thinks it's not, something like "sugar tits" would be.

Am I being overly sensitive or is he just behind the times with what is or isn't offensive?

Off to bath the kids, look forward to your views.

My handsome or my lover are common parlance in Cornwall; it means the conversation is friendly, no more.

I consider myself a feminist and I usually get the rage at similar things (being called a girl or Mrs. when I choose to be Ms. for eg). However, being from and still living in Yorkshire, I don't mind love at all. In fact, I call other people -of both sexes- love myself all the time, it's a regional thing.

Its used all the time here along with pet. Just part and parcel of the dialect.

Sorry but i think yabu

It's not objectively offensive but some women find it offensive because it's infantilising/paternalistic, which is not unreasonable.

I've been called love by both men and women. Doesn't bother me.

I've just thought of another one used round these parts (SE England) & it is ducksy. Rather old fashioned but I love it when my Dbro calls me that.

It's very common where I live.

It's very usual where I live both to men and women- shop assistant today called me love and I think the man she served after as well. I agree it's about the context and tone of voice. I've been called dear before by a man and was fine with it but David Cameron and his "calm down dear" was something else altogether.

OPs DH, you wouldn't offend me, but it would raise my bullshit sensor, and I would trust you a little bit less. It is something that could easily be overridden, but if you were wanting to establish rapport with me, it wouldn't help. If we were proper strangers and not people who would need to establish an ongoing relationship, it wouldn't matter, so 'love' away, love.