The word 'Ladies'

[Grammar]

Is it me or is it an outmoded, potentially manipulative word?
I realise people use the word 'gentleman' but to me this word 'Ladies' is ( sorry estate agents) estate agent speke/ men who have no insight into equality/ egalitarianism.
I know quite a few women who use the word too.
I do hope this does not provoke an unhelpful or hurtful response. It is simply that I have a very visceral dislike of the word and the oft used context it is involved in.
Do please let me know if I'm being unreasonable.
What are your thoughts?

I was always taught that it was impolite (read 'vulgar') and that women was the correct term

Same here, although I'm not a native speaker. According to my very well-spoken ex, saying "She's a very nice lady" or "Thank the kind lady" is apparently a faux-posh lower middle class thing similar to using "passed away"?

It's not faux posh.

It's saying everyone's a lady and etiquette's for snobs. it

It may well be vulgar: that's generally what I aim for.

A director addresses us all in his messages as People or Everyone, to avoid being accused of using gender pronouns. That I find silly!

Why is it silly? "Hi everyone" is surely the most likely way to avoid offending anyone? You can'take get more inclusive.

Ime the term lady has only ever been used as a stick to beat me with e.g, when I was 8 and playing outdoors with friends in the summer I was wearing blue shorts with daisies on only to be pulled inside sharpish by the man who impregnated my mother and was told to pull my act together and dress appropriately now as I was a 'young lady' bleurgh. I felt really dirty that day and had no idea why! We need a new catch all term. Id quite like to be a phlerb, rolls off the tongue.

Totally depends on the context.

If I was being served in a shop and someone interrupted I'd prefer the assistant to say 'I'm just dealing with this lady' rather than 'I'm just dealing with this woman'.

If I'm telling my child something involving a woman I will say 'that lady over there' rather than 'that woman over there'.

If I'm at work and a man is referring to a bunch of women as 'ladies' then no way!

zodsfox But it's not just the odd thing, some people here seem constantly het up about all kinds of insignificant shit. Just seems a sad way to live.

I tried it today.

"Morning Women" - Glare

"Excuse Me Women" - Glare

"Women First" - Glare

"Say thank you to the nice woman" - Funny Look

I tried it today.

"Morning Women" - Glare

"Excuse Me Women" - Glare

"Women First" - Glare

"Say thank you to the nice woman" - Funny Look

Maybe tomorrow you can try:

"Morning everyone"

"Excuse me, everyone" or just, "excuse me."

Don't think there's any need for either "women first" or "ladies first" - that does deserve a glare.

"Say thank you to the nice person."

Nah, you're alright.

"Say thankyou to the nice person" 😂 Sorry but that is so daft. I will carry on saying "lady" and "man" and so will most people. Hope your blood pressures won't suffer too much.

Faux posh? As opposed to posh, where you treat everyone else as a pleb.

I'll carry on being faux posh and over polite to the nice lady then.

It is "Womban" singular and "Wimmin" plural. Anything else is patriarchal oppression.

The words lady and ladies always reminds me of that David Walliams sketch. Imo I'd prefer if people just dropped these labels altogether - much easier - just say "hello" and start talking.

There are occasions, mainly involving small children and good manners, where it is either not possible or absurdly stilted to not use"lady" or "gentleman"

Say thank you to the person/woman sounds ill- mannered. I would not like to be addressed in that way.

LAYDEEEES 👅👅👅👅👅👅👅👅👅