To find the word "female" demeaning

[LoraPiano]

I increasingly see women being referred to as "female" as in "that female over there" or "a female approached my husband" or "females like chocolate". I hear it from both men and women, but especially from the younger generation, and usually about younger women.

Is it me or this is a little rude and insulting? Like there are reducing them to their gender and completely taking the person our of it. It's not a female giraffe, or a female bird.

Am I old fashioned? What's wrong with just saying woman/girl/lady etc?

Female isn't gender identity speak.
Female is biological sex.

Women shouldn't enable the erasure of our words but I think it's a reaction to crazy changes and feeling our existence and safety is threatened.

Exactly what I was going to say!

Tbf I use it about males much more than I do about females - since it's inevitably males, complete with their male bodies and male genitalia (functioning or not!), who demand access to those spaces - literal and metaphorical - which have always been reserved for female access only.

And as I said above, I'm going to revert back to saying man and woman. Why should they get to dictate what language I'm allowed to use?? Not happening anymore.

Yea it is but it’s the reason why people are using an adjective in place of a noun. Because it’s necessary to distinguish between men and women but men have stolen so much it’s difficult for those trying to placate these men to actually use proper English. If you want to take the word back for its proper purpose you need to be able to stand up and state that this does not include men.- not always easy. So many people have been captured by this ideology it’s tiring to do, you have to be willing to expose yourself and lose friends.

this is where certain men and their misogynistic ideology need to be shot down - it’s a hill I’m more than willing to die on. Some women aren’t yet able to do that for various reasons. It will only be when the enemy is literally at their door and they realise what is at stake they’ll get off the fence which is exactly what has happened in Scotland.

This is where Keir Starmers position (basically reflecting the woman hating politics of Scotland) could come in handy. When women here realise their daughters will have to strip naked in front of fully intact men in the swimming changing rooms with no debate.

Yes, I do tend to use "males" (to avoid censorship and to be crystal clear) and "women" and clarify further if I need to, when talking about say, female only spaces.

I used to work with an older woman about 15 yeara ago who would do this. If you were chatting she'd say "This female across the road from me" or "This female I saw in Boots". I found it very strange!

Obviously that was pre all the gender stuff.

There's a government petition, that's almost got enough signatures to have a debate in parliament, to clarify what sex and gender mean in law. I think the lack of clarity is one of the sources of the change to make female a noun.

I don't think I'm allowed to link directly to the petition, so this is the thread you can find the details on.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/petitions_noticeboard/4722618-petition-to-update-the-equality-act-thread-2

Please do sign and share.

Please don't confuse me any further. What is wrong with male and female? I was told some time ago that I should no longer be saying ladies and gentleman.

People are quick to be offended by something but usually the 'offender' means no offence just isn't up with the current correct term to be used.

This

People are using it because others can't argue the definition.

Plenty of poster have explained, in easy to understand ways, why they find it demeaning @user1497787065 . There is no need for confusion.

What is female gender? I don't even know what that is.

@LuciferRising It is nonsense.

it makes the person saying it sound like an Incel Ferengi

😅

Beware of putting it on a tee shirt, or even a lapel badge, though. Or you might meet this coming to state their rational objections__

It is a poor use of language, and boorish.

’Female’ is an adjective for describing a noun, as in, “A female horse is called a mare; a female human is called a woman.’

Equally though, “Woman” is not a rude word. It should be ok to say, “Do you know that woman?” There is no need to say, “Do you know that lady?”

It’s a word which I’ve started using it (to exclude men-pretending-to-be-women) and am fine with other women doing the same, but have a problem with others outside this group (ie MRAs and Incels) using it in a dehumanizing manner.

I don't mind "female" as it's just factual (trans aspect aside). But I think "lady" is out of date and patronising - I have a colleague (F) who sends group emails starting "Hello ladies" and it makes my insides shrivel. Guess we all feel differently about language, which us what makes it interesting.

I think it comes from the mainstreaming of black American culture. I think I have noticed that black American men are the most frequent users of "female" instead of "woman".

Most people who have adopted it have probably done so completely subconsciously.

It just reminds me of Martin from Friday Night Dinner. Woman or girl will suffice.

Female (something) is OK - female student, or whatever. But woman. Females is for animals.

I agree with you about "Hello ladies" - but I hate "Hello girls" more. You can't say "Hello women". So my emails start with Hello chums/peeps/witches, as appropriate 😆

I don't get it.. what's wrong with female? How is that offensive

Count yourself lucky it's not "cis female "

I would smack the use of c** RIGHT down.

Do not ever call me that.