Am I being too sensitive to sexist language?

[Rhony]

During an important meeting, with many execs present, my male boss referred to me and a colleague as "the girls". After the meeting I asked that he did not do this again as it was patronising. He said I am overthinking it and being too sensitive. Aibu to challenge him?

Nope. It's low level sexism.

Nope. Fair play for bringing it up with him too.

I thought so too, but I feel like I've been overly concerned by it. Would you address it too, or let it slide?

Start calling him a boy, publicly?

I really hate women being referred to as girls. so Infantilising.
No way are you being over sensitive.
He needs to drag himself into this century.

No. YANBU.

I actually feel more annoyed by his belittling response, than I do about the original incident.

YANBU - get a man to tell him why it’s not on, he might listen then.

If anyone ever says you are overthinking something- you aren't.

An old boss of mine did this but also referred to the men as boys, we just all thought he was a patronising dick

Nope. I hate being called a girl.
His response is really typical, I've called men out on that shit before and they all say the same thing tbh.

He said I am overthinking it and being too sensitive.

Insensitive people always say that. YDNBU

YANBU. 'Girls' in that sort of context is unprofessional. Well done for calling him on it.
Was the sex of you and this other colleague even relevant?

Of course, next meeting he's quite likely to make some laboured point of calling you 'ladies' or 'women' with a bit of eye rolling so be prepared.

Yes YUABU. Who cares??!!

I care because I want to be shown the same level of respect as my male colleagues. And older females. I truly don't believe male colleagues will ever be referred to as the boys.

You may be being a bit unreasonable depending on whether or not he would refer to a group of men as boys.

Calling groups of adult men and women boys and girls isn’t exactly uncommon.

I honestly would raise it if women were girls and men were men. If men are boys or lads I would not be so vexed to raise just one of the terms and instead ask that both be given more appropriate group terms.

Of course, I would also then be wondering why there are group terms at all unless there is a reason for a gender split.

Call him 'old man' every time he does this.

Ooh, or 'boy'

Well if he also referred to the men as 'Boys' then no harm, but if it was only to the women that he refers to as 'the girls' then its blatant sexism.

Personally this wouldn't bother me. My boss is female and I work with three other women and she calls us the ’girls’ - I think if it as more an age thing than a sexist thing because she's older than us.

Only OP can say whether in this instance 'girls' was meant in a demeaning way, but it is fair to say that many women and men use the terms 'boys' & 'girls' to refer to male and female colleagues at work.

Not overreacting at all. My CEO said "Good girl" to me on the phone one day. I was a 35ish year old woman, so I went up to him and said "Good girl? Would you say "Good boy" to one of the men?". He immediately apologised and said he wouldn't do it again, and he hasn't.

DP and I (combined age 120) are quite often referred to as ‘the boys’. I don’t mind that, because it’s done with (I assume) affection, but it’s all about context. I think women in a professional environment being referred to as ‘girls’ is patronising and inappropriate.

On a side issue, the sport advert with the tag line ‘This Girl Can’ always makes me .

YANBU.

Same happened to me at work, except they were written minutes! Male employees referred to as men, females as girls.

When I objected, the writer told me 'it was just his turn of phrase'. Told him it wasn't appropriate and he said he'd try to remember in the future. Which, to be fair, he has.

So complaining can make a difference.

"He said I am overthinking it and being too sensitive."

I think this is worse than the original remark!

fwiw, I've learned that the male equivalent of "hysterical" is "having an emotional response". It's a phrase men use by other men to deny the validity of the other man's objection. So you could use that of him if you feel so inclined.