‘The girls’

[Girlygirlgirl]

I’m fairly certain I’m not being unreasonable in getting irritated by this, but does this irk anyone else?

I started a new job 6 weeks ago with a new organisation. In our department there are two types of job role. My role is highly qualified, the other role is also skilled but less qualified, and supports my role.

The people that do the other role are collectively called ‘the girls’. For example ‘the girls can do that piece of work’ or ‘give it to the girls to action’. I don’t get it. They are not girls, they are grown women!

Everyone who does my role is also female. We are all women! So why are they ‘the girls’? In my old organisation we called them by an abbreviation of their job title.

Nope, if ever I did go out with colleagues I’d say I was going out with people from work. i couldn’t bring myself to say “the girls” without cringing to death

Girls in a personal setting - fine. Girls in a professional setting - belittling and rude.

Those that can’t see the difference - dim.

Is there a collective name you could start using instead.
eg in the legal example start saying ‘I’ll hand this over to the paras’

Or in a meeting where the support team aren’t present just say that you caught yourself referring to them as ‘the girls’ and realised it sounded a bit patronising, perhaps we should refer to them as xxxx.

YANBU

I have a woman on my Facebook who often posts about “nights with the girls”. It’s awful and makes me cringe.

The final straw was the one where she posted “Gin, nibbles and giggling girlies”. I unfriended her.

I'm in my early 30s and I'd be irritated by this.

I’m really shocked so many people would be offended by this. I would also say the girls when referring to a group of girls/my friends. I don’t understand why it would be offensive or patronising. For context I also have a professional role and wouldn’t mind my female team being referred to as the girls the same way an all male team may be referred to as the boys/the guys

In my last job our male boss called his all female staff team The Girlies, or His Ladies. That always felt weird but he did also call the all male team next door Tom's Boys or Tom's Lads so it was equal opportunity demeaning.

I worked somewhere where one of the teams of (unqualified but skilled) women were often referred to as girls... mostly in their 50s. It's patronising and demeaning. I asked my boss to stop doing it, he did but thought I was being fussy.....then he went on training and it was given as an example of microaggression, which can cumulatively be seen as bullying.

I don't care about a social setting, but in a working environment it does women no favours.

just nope

Nope.

Oh I HATE this!!!

No, never. I go out with my team, or with Sarah, Emma and Jo.

I've got better battles to fight. It's something that'll die out naturally given time.

I live in a Scandinavian country, and there is no way in hell I can even imagine it happenlng here. 😂 Stuck in the past.

Yeah, let’s help shorten that time..

Apropos of nothing, Jo and Al from “Curvy Brides Boutique” in TLC refer to their clients’ (often ample) breasts as “the girls”.

I thought your thread might be about this.

Yep, hate that!

What if some of the boys don’t want to be one of the boys? I’m one of those that think some gender things are getting a bit too much, but honestly this is just basics..

You're not a midwife talking about maternity support workers are you? Because I'm a midwife and everyyyy trust I've worked in the MSW's seem to be referred to as 'the girls' and it grinds my gears.

Same here. I was anticipating something along the lines of what do you call yours, e.g. Mary-Kate and Ashley.

Am I allowed to refer to myself and friends as the girls? As a woman what am I allowed to say?

What if one of your woman friends doesn't like it?

We're all called girls when I'm at work. There is only one male so it's usually the girls and x.
Can't say I give a shit. But everyone is called the same so maybe that's why.
I'm in my 40s so happy to be referred to as a girl in any context.

I would not force anyone to use any language they did not wish to, so would not insist they used that language themselves - i don't beleive in compelled speech.

I would hope they are grown up enough to not take offense where none is meant and to understand that people use language differently.

No, and like PP it makes me wince when other women do it. My friends and I (mid forties to mid fifties) have names, so we just use those.