To think calling a 26 year old a girl is odd

[Togetherforever70]

They aren’t even a young adult never a girl.

My Dad will call any woman who is obviously younger than him (78) a girl.
It really wound me up when I was younger and he talked about "the girls in the office":professional adult females.
I ignore it now, but it is ridiculous.

I've no problem with being called a girl and I'm 43.

@AnotherSillawithanS

I've no problem with being called a girl and I'm 43.

Well I do so people should check. Not just assume.

Doesn't bother me either

maybe it's regional? i would call a 26 year old work colleague a young girl. mind you i would also call a large group of work colleagues "the girls".

I think it depends on the context and specifics.
I call my group of friends ‘girls’ in our group chat, but I probably wouldn’t appreciate it from someone I didn’t know.

I know lots of people who refer to all women as girls, as in going out with the girls. My 80 year old mum does.
I don't much like it and usually say women, but there are bigger battles to fight

I think people know that they don't mean it literally. We use the words "girlfriend" and boyfriend" when referring to adults too.

@AnotherSillawithanS

I've no problem with being called a girl and I'm 43.

So am I. I’d be sceptical and think they were being kind but I’d take it!

Yes it could well be regional/cultural. Either way I just can't get worked up about it. I refer to most women my age and under as girls and I'm in my (very) late 40s.

Totally normal where I am.
My 85 yo mum goes out with ‘The Girls’

My work colleagues are either ‘the girls’ or ‘the lads’.
Regional perhaps as someone else said.

I find it strange over 21, between 18 and 21 I'm likely to use either girl or woman. Would people call a 26 year old man a boy?

I've been called this, not by the people i provide care to but by their condescending relatives. Once someone is paying an invoice for my time they seem to think they are suddenly the lord of Downton Abbey.

*I am 47

@fallfallfall

maybe it's regional? i would call a 26 year old work colleague a young girl. mind you i would also call a large group of work colleagues "the girls".

If you said young girl I'd think of a child under about 8.

26 isn't a young adult? It's only eight years into an adulthood that will hopefully last sixty or more. Seems fairly 'young adult' to me!

@Svara

I find it strange over 21, between 18 and 21 I'm likely to use either girl or woman. Would people call a 26 year old man a boy?

They'd call him a lad where I'm from

Depends on the context.

YABU

MN usually goes nuts over the concept of a woman being referred to as a 'girl'. I kind of see it, but also don't - there's no perceived stigma/patronising note to men being referred to as 'boys', so why not - it's almost a sexist thing in itself.

Fine for the DH to be going 'out with the boys' 'chatting about it with the lads on site/in the office' - but it's somehow demeaning and patronising for a group of women to be 'the girls'.

It should be the same. If 'the boys' conjures up the image of the group out for a laugh and having fun, so should 'the girls'.

I don't mind what anyone calls me as long as it's not rude

@Svara

I find it strange over 21, between 18 and 21 I'm likely to use either girl or woman. Would people call a 26 year old man a boy?

Yes, in many contexts they would. 'Going out with the boys tonight'. 'Him and the boys are sorting out the stag do' 'I'll get one of the boys to sort that' etc.

@fallfallfall

maybe it's regional? i would call a 26 year old work colleague a young girl. mind you i would also call a large group of work colleagues "the girls".

Me too. It’s not meant in a derogatory way at all. These days I just wish someone would refer to me as a girl 😩

I once spoke to a branch of the WI whose president addressed them as "girls". The youngest was in her early 70s.