He used the phrase the girls to describe two adult women.

[cherryblossomgin]

Christmas was great but something stuck out to me, at the time I said nothing but it annoyed me and Its still annoying me. DS BF called me and DS the girls and the moment he said it I internally cringed and wanted to say something but I didn't. I'm 31 she is 30. AIBU to be bothered by this. I know its not a major issue and overall he is nice guy.

Perfectly acceptable. How on earth can it be seen as offensive

Offence can be found in everything, if you are that way inclined, as this place shows on a daily basis.

“Noone really uses 'boys' to refer to grown men; they say lads, guys, or blokes.”

@TheHeathenOfSuburbia

Meanwhile, back on planet Earth, yes, yes they do. A lot.

Sorry I’ve just realised it’s not your BF but your sisters! Thank goodness! At least you won’t have to put up with being called a girl all the time!

Share an office at work with two men and another woman, when visitors walk in the men will say "the girls will help you" I'm a 53 year old manager, very irritating as it is assumed I'm a receptionist or their assistant

@echt you must be exhausting company

The irony of calling him bf ( BOY friend )
Tbh I would rather be called girls then women

@echt you must be exhausting company

Do try sticking to the arguments, not personal judgments. It's so helpful in rational debate.

Good point made upthread that boyfriend and girlfriend are acceptable terms yet girl isn't

20echt

Because:

1. The OP is, like, not a girl.

2.. She doesn't like it.

HTH

Sorry no 1
The OP is , like, not a girl .......what the hell does that mean in English

In my books if you are female you are a girl

An aunt of dh used to refer to her bridge-playing circle as ‘the girls’.

They were all over 80.

It’s just a manner of speaking and isn’t offensive unless anyone chooses to see it like that.

@echt whilst I don’t actually disagree with the broader implications of this subject, surely in this specific instance grown woman pants could have been put on (see what I did there ) and actually told him.

I’m going out with ‘the girls’ on Friday. DP is out with ‘the lads’ on Monday.
I’m 55 and he’s 57.

As others have said, in a work setting it's inappropriate and I do pull colleagues up on it although rarely hear it where I work.

In a social setting, where men are equally likely to be "boys", it's less problematic because it's less likely that it's being used in a casually sexist way, or indicative of a belief that women are "less than" men.

In my books if you are female you are a girl

So all the females you know, including you yourself, are children? Er - OK!

Dear God, go worry about something important. Such a non-issue. Half the world seem to be perpetually offended over absolutely nothing these days.

As a 40 something female, I’m quite happy to be referred to as a girl, providing it us not used in a derogatory way. In other words, the girls can do the washing up is a no-no. But the girls have arranged a great day out is positive.

Just listen to the words of “Girl On Fire” by Alicia Keys. A true female anthem.

How women fuck each [other] over day after day.

Yep, this thread is a perfect example of how women willingly collude in and even welcome their own disempowerment.

Yawn. Get a life.

Oh that's terrible, at Christmas too, how awful. Suggest you have massive family argument and finish up with everyone not speaking to each other. Seasons greetings.

Echo - As if you'd be saying this about poofs/ niggers/Pakis.
Those are all derogatory words, however they are used. Girls is not a derogatory word.

Just listen to the words of “Girl On Fire” by Alicia Keys. A true female anthem

Possibly more to do with "girls" having one syllable as opposed to "women" having two, which is harder to fit into lyrics.

Girls is not a derogatory word

Have you even read the OP's OP? I blame the teachers.

I'm always on girls' nights out and the men in my life go on boys' nights out. Admittedly these can sometimes be called lads' nights out whereas I don't think we girls have any other names.
I really don't see the problem. I like the term.... it seems affectionate to me.

I don't have an issue with it myself but then I often say come on guys, meaning, everyone in the group. Not relevant to gender

I personally don't consider it an issue but if you do you should mention something to DSis BF