To morn like being referred to as the 'girls' at work?

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Just that really. I find myself and other females within our group are referred as the 'girls' in meetings. For instance yesterday a male colleague said in a meeting 'I'll get the girls to do it'. I find it demeaning but maybe I'm over reading?

Apologies for typo in title!

It's weird that your gender is even a distinction in who does what. (Unless it happens that all of the women in your office are employed in a certain role and the men in different roles). That would irritate me too.

I don’t like being called a girl. If I am I’ll make a joke out of the person using that term - a quick speak for yourself is usually enough.

You wait till you don't get called a girl, then you feel old!

I MIGHT just tolerate it from a much older man on cusp of retirement as the generation gap would nean it was more usual language for them if that makes sense.

Otherwise Id be calling them out, reminding them of our names and pointing out we are grown woman.. I might also ask how theyd feel about being referred to as the boys

It does lump you together into one female horde. I have however talked about male colleagues as the 'IT boys' etc. Generally when there is something one of a particular group will do.

Was the task something he could have done or did he have to GET you to do it?

Its seriously demeaning, and its meant to be.Thats why they say it. Pull them up on it.

In my workplace those on a lower payband (like me) are called "girls" and it really grinds my gears. I'm nearly 40ffs. Some of us are nearing retirement. Fucking hate it.

I don't know... if it was actually something in your groups specific job description and your group all happen to be female, I don't see a problem. I also don't see it as a problem to refer to males as boys.

What would you have preferred? If there are several people in a group its hardly sensible to say "I'll get Pamela, June, Rachel, Ellen, Linda, Tracy, Kim, Susan and Joanne to do it." Saying "I'll get the women to do it" actually seems worse for some reason.

In this particular instance there were only two females he was referring to myself and another so he could have said our names. But this happens in other situations and with other men.

It was something he could have done but he is senior to me so it is acceptable that I should do the work.

As to being a collective group - myself and the other girl have different roles so shouldn't be considered as one group as it were.

I do work in an area with known problems for equality.

Really was just wondering if it riles others as it does me! I wouldn't dream of calling them the boys!!!

Unprofessional. Would you refer to the men as 'they boys'. Call them out,

This is a huge bugbear of mine. The secretaries and PAs are commonly referred to as "the girls". It's so bloody rude.

What would you have preferred? If there are several people in a group its hardly sensible to say "I'll get Pamela, June, Rachel, Ellen, Linda, Tracy, Kim, Susan and Joanne to do it." Saying "I'll get the women to do it" actually seems worse for some reason

if they are all interchangeable they must all be doing the same or similar jobs. So "I'll get the admin team /sales force / whatever to do it" would be fine.
Under no circumstances is "the girls" either relevant or appropriate.

I loathe "girls" and "ladies". I see it on here too. I am a woman.

I decided decades ago I couldn't change this. So i refer to all men in the work place s 'the boys'. Seems to have caught on.

I loathe this too. I'm nearly 40, my colleague is 62, we are not girls we are women. Nobody refers to groups of male colleagues as 'boys', although shortly people will be along to tell you that actually it's very common to hear boys in workplaces up and down the country. It isn't though. It's demeaning and Infantilising to women.

"The women" only sounds wrong because we don't hear it often enough. People try to soften it by saying ladies which, although admittedly better than girls, is unnecessary. Nobody would think "the men in sales" sounds weird.

What would you have preferred?

Women.

I personally wouldn’t take offence to this but maybe it’s because “the boys” is used just as much as “the girls” in my workplace. My male colleagues will refer to “the boys” just as much as they refer to “the girls” & the same goes for my female colleagues as well. In fact, due to how my workplace is structured, “the boys” might actually be used more often.

I think it also helps that I work for a small company & we’re all more or less within a 10 year age gap of each other so there’s no feeling of condescension if that makes sense.

Having said all that though it really does depend on your work setting, I agree it wouldn’t be professional in a corporate environment for example but I work in an industry where we can wear jeans & trainers when we’re not meeting clients so language is more informal.

I might also ask how theyd feel about being referred to as the boys

Men are frequently referred too as the boys. Especially in the forces. So I guess most of us are ok with it. Disclaimer I speak for myself and not all of boykind

Men are

I don’t think I’d like this either. Would you call them “the boys”? If not, then yanbu.

Not the same, but I shared a name “Jessica” with a work colleague and we did a very similar job. People would forever say “I’ll ask the Jessicas”, “the Jessicas are looking into it” etc. Eventually we started insisting people pluralise to “Jessici” .

It’s infantalising bollocks. Whenever I hear someone refer to the girl/s they work with I always act surprised to hear their company employs children. I’ve even trained dh out of it

Why do you call women "females"?? That is quite demeaning.

"male colleague" vs "females"?

Men are frequently referred too as the boys. Especially in the forces. So I guess most of us are ok with it. Disclaimer I speak for myself and not all of boykind

Its not the same thing at all. "The boys" are usually in a position of power and "the girls" are not. It's a representation and reinforcement of that power imbalance when it comes to labelling a group of working women as "the girls". ITs intended to demean and keep them in their place.

Its not the same thing at all. "The boys" are usually in a position of power and "the girls" are not. It's a representation and reinforcement of that power imbalance when it comes to labelling a group of working women as "the girls". ITs intended to demean and keep them in their place

Exactly. I knew it wouldn't be long before the "oh men get referred to as boys allllll the time too" started. They bloody don't!