AIBU to not like inanimate objects being called 'she'?

[LylaLee]

I'm not on a campaign or anything, but this is just something that annoys me and I came to ask if IABU to find it jarring/grating.

I know that historically ships get called 'she' and that already annoyed me.

But now I'm seeing it everywhere. On YouTube someone gets a new belt: 'she's going to look great'.

On Instagram, someone's sewn a dress = 'she fits really well.'

Someone gets a wig: 'she looks really natural'.

It's almost as if 'female = an item to serve/be used/passively be of service'.

Oh, you say, they're just being playful and whimsical, anthropomorphising the object.

But they are never, ever, ever called 'he'. I've never heard it.

AIBU?

My upstairs robot hoover is male. I've never assigned genders to clothes, that's just weird.

It was done as a good luck thing. When you think about it, your vessel and how she handled the waves etc, kept you alive. From the internet
"Ships were seen as lifelines, providing sustenance, security, and the means to explore distant lands. By referring to boats as female, sailors believed they were connecting with the nurturing and protective roles traditionally associated with women."

It was a great compliment. My Dad was Merchant Navy and it was a sign of respect.

I lived in Somerset for a few years and everything was called ‘he’!

I give items names and assign as she / he as I fancy! There's whole languages built around this concept, it's hardly new?

My current car is a he, my last was a she - they've also got names. My hoover is a he (difficult bastard) but my steam mop is a she.

Doesn't bother me. Most languages ascribe male or female to stuff.

The "she" thing for clothes really annoys me. I think it started on those wedding dress shows.

Don't mind it for ships.

I was brought up that cars, like ships, are she. I give them all female names anyway.

My 18 yo DD talks about items of clothing, jewellery etc as ‘she’. It’s really annoying.

I heard Israel being described as a she earlier today. Yes that felt jarring.

I've not heard the examples you've described. On balance I'd say I more frequently hear inanimate objects described as "he" than she.

I've only ever heard it used for vehicles - boats and cars. I've only ever referred to any car, including my own, as "it".

I know people refer to Henry vacuum cleaners as "he" because of the name, but I've never heard anyone else refer to a household appliance as he or she. Or give it a name.

I’ve never heard it for clothes. My fil refers to a lot of things as he- eg a plant or a shelf or something. He’s fluent welsh though and things are male or female in welsh so I think it perhaps stems from that.

My robot hoovers are both male. Otherwise, nothing has a sex in this house except the mammals!

Sounds like a teenage fad. Bet none of these items are non binary....

People saying "nope I've never heard this" - It's definitely a thing. Just because you haven't heard it doesn't mean it's not very common in certain areas. Quite prevalent on YouTube and IG, I've heard it from a lot of vloggers, fashion channels, beauty community etc. I follow a fashion YouTuber who has names, personalities and voices for all of her belts and accessories. She's absolutely dotty though so I forgive her.

I find it annoying generally and don't know where it came from, but I've never considered it as anything more than an annoyance.

I think it's a hang-over from when nouns used to have a gender, as they still do in French, for an example.

Haha, good point @SoddingWeddings! Next time DD says something like ‘this dress is my favourite, she’s so flattering!’ I might ask her if she has checked with the dress which pronouns to use.

I work in the aviation business and I frequently refer to aeroplanes as 'she'.

Cars were always "she" too.

It annoys me too although not from a feminist point of view, I hadn't really looked at it like that. It's incorrect, which is what annoys me!

Only ever heard it for vehicles,biats, countries and landmarks

Historically countries were referred to as she- might have something to do with cradling it’s population

I’m more bothered by all animals being referred to as “he”. When DD referred to a bee on a flower as “he”, I pointed out that she was almost certainly a “she”. It might seem pedantic, but I don’t like the way that males are seen as the default.

It's a hangover from when words were masculine or feminine. Many languages still have this.

Hello fellow friend, mine is called Alfred.

In Herefordshire (and other parts of the West Country?) 'him' is often interchangeable with 'it' when discussing inanimate objects. Makes for some initially scary conversations with builders ('We'll 'ave to cut him in 'alf or else chop 'im down a bit...')