Fed up with women being described as "girls". Name and shame the worst culprits.

[MardyBra]

Nick from The Apprentice for starters.

I don't care about women being called girls. Its not something you should worry about.

Fascinating to me that people think they can dictate what others worry about. I shall go and immediately tell all of Telly Addicts that they should stop talking about Xfactor whatever it is they are on about...Purely because I think it is rubbish

"Bitch" is sometimes misattributed to Alanis Morissette, who was at the height of her popularity at the time of this song's release (having herself released Jagged Little Pill, her most successful album to date, two years prior), due to the similarity of her voice and musical style to that of Brooks.[24]

From WIKI

I used to love that song

Colder Thanks to you, I have discovered that "felinization" is an actual word.

Fascinating to me that people think they can dictate what others worry about. I shall go and immediately tell all of Telly Addicts that they should stop talking about Xfactor whatever it is they are on about...Purely because I think it is rubbish

Well, quite. It winds me up no end when people say ''Worry about something more important!'' etc. We're all individuals. What gets my goat might mean nothing to someone else, and vice versa. I wouldn't have the cheek to tell someone they shouldn't be bothered by something that riles them - who am I to do so?

Back to the start of this thread - all sports commentators.

The news when it talks about prostitutes or strippers - that really pisses me off.

I think girls is fine when boys is also used. But I got told off once by a man who thought "boys" was infantilising. Having spent my life being regularly referred to as a girl the irony wasn't lost on me. My friends say "girls" amongst us and "boys" for the DHs and that's nice cos its informal. I wouldn't do that at work.

What I want to know is what is wrong with "woman"? Someone told me recently that they wouldn't use it because it sounds derogatory like you're saying "stupid woman". I think that is the core of the problem that the word "woman" itself has negative connotations.

I absolutely loathe "lady" probably a bit irrationally but it makes me sound la dee dah which I'm not.

Nick from the apprentice also refers to the male team as 'the boys'

What about 'girlfriends' or 'hey girl' or 'you go girl/s' as that's often said in an encouraging or celebratory way?

Why on earth would you need to say separate "good morning"s to people by their gender? I say a general "Morning all" to everyone who happens to have got in before me, I don't wish male and female colleagues different sorts of mornings

Whether it's intended as such or not, 'girls' is infantilizing. 'Boys' is rarely used in the same way, I can only think of "boys in blue" for police officers as an example. My adult female friends are women, and when we go out for an evening we don't revert to childhood. I get particularly stabby at the phrase "my girlfriends" - the word means something entirely different. Can't see DH ever going out for the evening with his 'boyfriends'

Cross post MissOtis. "You go, girl" is if anything, worse. Would you ever tell a "boy" that he "went"??

kasey I've pulled a man up at work for talking about the "girls" on reception before and he said the same thing - that he thought the term "women" was derogatory.

Maybe the battle is far worst than we think!

This thread has really got me thinking... I have a colleague who said we should not say master key as it was sexist and some people thought it was over the top.

I think people (myself included) just say many of these things without a second thought.

"kasey I've pulled a man up at work for talking about the "girls" on reception before"

It's always the girl on reception or the girl on the checkout or other service jobs. But you'd never hear boy on reception.

You dont get it with the professions though. I've never heard of "girl doctor" or "girl lawyer".

No, they tend to use "Lady Doctor".... It's even in the dictionary definition of "Lady".

Although that's dying out as "Doctor" is one of those catch all jobs that doesn't have male or female versions.

Ah but what really annoys me is the doctor, male of female or their reception staff, who have sufficient respect to address the doctor as doctor so and so but insufficient respect to address the patient as Mr or Mrs or Miss and assume it is acceptable to use the patients first name without asking or offering their own or the doctor's first name.

I am not my doctor's subordinate and I don't expect to be addressed as my doctor's subordinate either by them or their staff. If the doctor or the doctor's staff wish to use my first name then I expect them all to use the doctor's first name. That is an equality issue and one which is passively aggressive and which silently confers subordination to the customer.

The problem is that casual misogyny ait

I expect female dogs are having this same conversation and discussing ways to reclaim the word bitch!

Sorry - that casual misogyny gives the female of the species negative connotations, eg. Cow and bitch. Is what I meant to say!

Colder Thanks to you, I have discovered that "felinization" is an actual word.

I like to be useful.

that he thought the term "women" was derogatory. confused

That's probably even worse that using the word girl..thinking woman was some how shit.

I admit sometimes I bristle a bit though when someone says "She's such an intelligent woman", or "a very successful woman" She's a very funny woman"

I think I hear an implied "She's so intelligent for a woman".
She's very successful for a woman. "She's very funny for a woman.

Which is ridiculous because you would say "he is a very intelligent man" or "he is a very successful man" "He is a very funny man"

Maybe because I am aware that "man" is also default for "person" to a lot of people.

Or maybe I am just a wee bit over sensitive

I am not my doctor's subordinate and I don't expect to be addressed as my doctor's subordinate either by them or their staff. If the doctor or the doctor's staff wish to use my first name then I expect them all to use the doctor's first name. That is an equality issue and one which is passively aggressive and which silently confers subordination to the customer.

Maybe miw, I always thought it was about putting the patient at ease, and have been introduced to doctors with their first names. Which to me makes me feel uncomfortable. If I have spent 8 years in medical school, I'd bloody well have my husband call me doctor!

I'm afraid it doesn't put me at my ease to be called by my first name by a complete stranger with whom I have no relationship whatsoever. What would put me at my ease would be "hello I'm Dr Jones, do call be Elizabeth if you wish. Is it OK if I call you Married or would you prefer Mrs Inwhite".

I think that's basic courtesy and I'm sorry if it's something glossed over and forgotten about at medical school. My solicitor spent a total of about 7 to 8 years training and that's how he behaves, as indeed so most professional advisers. I really don't see why doctors think they are so special just because they spent 8 years training. My DH did too I think and he doesn't think he's any more special than the next person.

Well you'd be totally right to correct them if you felt upset by it. I think that probably is why they do it to most people though..not passive aggressiveness.

I go "out with the girls" and we are mostly 40+ (and some 50+). Is there something wrong with that?

Of course not Carla!

married I agree with you. I think equality of address is important in almost all settings, but especially professional ones. I also agree that putting people at ease is the reason that doctors do it, but they should ask. My doctor and his entire practice address all their patients by title and last name.