Is it strange for a male colleague to call you princess ?

[justaquestion2021]

Just that really. I'm not overly fussed personally. Colleague is perfectly respectful. Just wanted to throw it out there and see what people think !

Depends. I'd it was once it could just be a slip of the tongue (he calls someone else Princess and he just did it by mistake).

Regularly? Just you? A bit odd/patronising

I think it's sexist and infantilising.

I wouldn't like it, it comes across patronising or that they see you as a diva, either way unless they know you really well to be so familiar with you then I wouldnt be impressed.

I would assume a slip of the tongue, just as I’ve once or twice called a colleague by my DH’s name, unless he’s generally repellently creepy, sexist and patronising.

Yes, how is he using it(is he implying that you are spoilt, demanding and think things revolve around you)?

I sometimes call a Male colleague dear - we are friends. Princess is a bit much though.

I would absolutely hate it, regardless of whether it was kindly meant or not. It's unprofessional and patronising.

As a one off slip up it wouldn’t bother me, but otherwise it’s patronising and inappropriate.

I wouldn't like it, at all. I'd probably make a joke of it and call him "Princess" back. I think it would be quite telling how he responded to that.

Don’t tell me , you’re gonna call a lawyer ?

It really depends on the work culture. It would feel weird and totally unacceptable where I am.

But, I could see it as being more acceptable in other environments.

Why don't you start calling him a nickname that is boyish and young rather than mannish and watch carefully how he reacts.

It’s vomit inducing.

Haha no! I think it's harmless. I was just curious what people thought. It's also not happened to me before that someone called me that. It also wasn't like ' you're such a princess '. It was more, 'let's talk later princess.. '

Or ' I'm not sure princess ' when I asked a question.

I will not call a lawyer at all and just think it's funny. I like my colleague, I don't think he means it in a bad way whatsoever.

Why don't you start calling him a nickname that is boyish and young rather than mannish and watch carefully how he reacts.

Yes. Call him “little man” like you would to a wee boy. Ignore any pulled faces and keep using it.

It's a micro-act of sexism though. And they all add up within society.

I don't think he means it in a bad way whatsoever.

What bad way could he mean it in?

@UhtredRagnarson hahahaha that's brilliant..

If that's what he calls all women from there 20's to 60s, admin to CEO it wouldn't bother me. If its it's just you that would bother me.

Well, are you a princess? Are you in a relationship with him or his daughter? If not, then excessively weird.

I think it's something some "loveable rogue" types can get away with by appearing to mean it affectionately, but IMO it's always a way of putting women in their place, even if the man is only using it that way subconsciously.

A one off I'd let go, but I would not be standing for that regularly, no matter how much I liked the man in question.

I am sure I'd accidentally call a colleague "sweetheart" as that's what I call the DCs.
I don't use generic nicknames for men/women though (mate, darling, love, ducks where I'm from originally) but a lot of people do, especially older people. My older Scottish colleague called all the women "hen". Just a habit I think.

I dunno, it's a bit weird ... Does he fancy you?

I wouldn’t like it but I wouldn’t make a fuss either. It’s pretty patronising though.

If I'm trying to work out whether something is sexist or not, I ask myself whether you could imagine the opposite sex doing it. It's really useful.

In this case, I can't really imagine a woman at work calling a man Prince / similar, so this appears to be sexist to me.

If that's what he calls all women from there 20's to 60s, admin to CEO it wouldn't bother me

I’d only tolerate it if he called all the men Prince too.