To dislike being called "ladies"

[Disco2022]

It seems to happen on here more recently and there's something about it which just grates on me! It makes me want to swear and announce "I'm no lady,"
It also reminds me a bit of David Dickinson when he used to say "Ladies, may I call you girls" in that sickening sleazy way.
Much prefer just being called a woman.
Anyway fairly light-hearted just a late night ponder.

but girls is wrong
what would you like
Females?
guys?

i say ladies
i might start saying Comrades - i am talking about in person rather than online

I didn't think ladies was appropriate these days (🙄) I'd much rather have it than guys.

“Come on, everyone.””Listen everyone!”
Sorted.

I think we should stick with ladies. Otherwise we have no word used to address us as a group. Reclaim it!

I'm often out in a cafe with my dh, and when our tea / coffee is being put down on the table the comment is often " There you go , guys " " Here you are guys " .

Tbh , that annoys me , we are not two guys . Make a comment by all means , it's friendly and nice to be acknowledged , but please drop the guys !

What’s wrong with hey guys?
tbh I don’t even address everyone in anyway I just say ‘hi, how’s everyone doing’ then I get to my point

I hate “ladies”. It manages to be both twee and slightly pervy at the same time.

But as others have pointed out you can’t really say; “Thanks women”.

We aren't all female and seems regressive to assume.

I don’t like it either, sounds both old fashioned and a bit patronising depending on the circumstances.
Not much call for it though, and other words can be substituted quite easily…

what on earth is that supposed to mean?

‘Thanks everyone’ ? Would that not do? Or ‘thanks team’??
what are people saying to men ‘ thanks gentlemen?’

I might use ‘lady’ in the context of talking to a small child (‘let the lady get on the bus first’). Otherwise I do find ‘ladies’ slightly jarring because of its history of being used in a patronising way.
I don’t think I ever feel the need for a special word to highlight the sex of a group I’m talking to. I’d just say ‘Thanks everyone!’ Or ‘Bye everyone, lovely to see you all.’ Posting on here I’d assume that if it’s a female-specific question, responses will mainly be from women, even if I don’t start my post, ‘Ladies!’.

Actually they do say “Thank you Gentlemen”.

if said in a condescending way I don’t like it but then it doesn’t matter how I am addressed if someone is being condescending then I will likely pick that up in their tone

I use ladies if I’m addressing/teaching a large group of women, it seems friendlier than people, when it is just a group of women. Can’t really get worked up about it as it is at least polite.

Trouble is I hate most of these forms of collective address. There’s something so cringe about them. I loathe it when people say “Team” at the start of an email. It makes me shudder. “Guys” isn’t much better. “All” is OK.

These words are just intrinsically naff. I don’t know why.

Yeah, this 'females' thing is awful. I've only recently noticed it but perhaps it was always a thing? Those who use it will typically use 'men' rather than 'males'.

It can seem condescending when said by a man - and creepy when said by male posters on Mumsnet.

I don't have a huge problem with it, and certainly not when it's women to women.

I don’t mind “ladies” at all.

“Guys” on the other hand gets right on my tits.

I use it myself as a woman, can’t see the problem.

The older I get the more I think it’s actually ok. Maybe I’m finally becoming a lady myself. Better than client, patient, service user etc.

Yet your user name…🤣

I hate "guys".

Meh, it's the same word. I prefer it at times.
If a child is in my pathway and the parents says make way for the woman or lady, I prefer lady.