Would you consider "wingman" a sexist term?

[BertrandRussell]

I've just signed up to a company that sends you ground coffee every couple of weeks- and I've just had a email saying "Hi, I'm Ashley your P a c t coffee wingman"

Sexist? Or just icky?

I think it has both meanings, the "got your back" one and the PUA one. I'm fairly sure Pact mean the first one and they were going for a word which sounded "cooler" than guide or supporter.

I'm sure it does. I've just never heard it used that way.

I just don't like "blokiness" . I'm sure most blokes don't either.

I would think Top Gun.
I have heard women talking about men a bit like this though infrequently. I mix with a very wide variety of people

Some men do like being blokey and some don't but do it to fit in. It's like me in my old job pretending I gave a shit about handbags, baking, crafts and people's children. It's a way of fitting in.

I find in any group you get a dominant person I'm not just talking alpha male just someone that takes the lead. That one persons behaviour can have a big influence. My sister is a live wire her influence on social gatherings is substantial.

I just don't like "blokiness" . I'm sure most blokes don't either.

I'll subscribe to this.

In fairness, I've always understood it to just mean a mate that you go on the pull with. I can well believe that PUA twats use it too to refer to someone whose role is to isolate the 'target', but I don't think that's the main usage. In my experience most men either aren't aware of PUA types on consider them to be sad bastards.

I'd think 'someone who's got your back', which is the context in which I use it. Not that I use it often. The last time I did it was joking with a mate, when I noticed that she'd got her period (in a light coloured skirt). I'd like to have a more female appropriate term, but wingwoman doesn't really roll of the tongue.

Interestingly, since I last posted I've asked 4 men of very different ages, and they all understood it in the PUA meaning. Including two who didn't know what PUA meant!

So maybe be careful if you use it in it's "got your back" sense- you might be misunderstood!

I have definitely heard of it in the pulling sense, but would not automatically consider it derogatory. So for example if I was out with a single friend (whether male or female) I could imagine saying it in a joking way. However, having said that, I would not be friends with people who would use "wingmen" in the PUA sense so maybe I am just naive!

Although I agree - what the hell is the connection to coffee?

You live and learn. I honestly wouldn't have thought twice about it but it would seem I am a bit out of touch. My reply was genuine though - naive, possibly, but not faux naive .