I don’t think it is offensive initially. I think it has more to do about who says it, in which setting, and how they say it.
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In french we say madame or mademoiselle for an unmarried women (Ms).
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For me I think it depends on who says it, if its my dad or an old stranger like 70y.o. calling me boy I find it less offensive.
I’m guilty of using girls sometimes.
Need to get out the habit if I find it insulting to me.
For example my dad sometimes says to me my boy bring me a glass of water.
I remember being called sir at work when I was underage, it made me feel old lol
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Some cashiers at convenience stores sometimes used to call me boss. Lol.
Much prefer that to girl.
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I don’t use the term girl on females over the age of 16.
I refer to adult females as women.
My brothers girlfriend jokingly refers to me and my dad as “boys”.
I kind of find it insulting.
I don’t really like being called anything feminine or making me younger/older than I am.
I like more neutral terms, or slighly masculine ones.
Dude, bro, buddy, mate, friendo, nerd. Those are acceptable.
I even have a friend who calls me king, haha.
I do say ‘girl’ to other adults sometimes, but it’s in private group chats like "you go girl!’ Or “girl, dump his ass”
I have a female friend, she’s Jamaican and likes to say like girrrrl hope you get some jiggy tonight lol stuff like that I don’t mind it in that context when a female friend says it. In such a way
Still in my ideal Mae world, the word girl would not exist for women
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I sorta know what you mean. People have called me boy - and ive wanted to punch them, usually from some 18 year old gob shite thats 20 years younger than me.
Whats ok to some people, can be offensive to others tho. And in the diverse culture we live in these days - it can be a minefield.
I use the word “sweet” far too much lol.
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It is disgusting and it happens a lot, both ways I guess.
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That is disgusting, I agree and I didn’t know that it’s quite common
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I know this is a complete double standard,
But I’ve always found being called “girl/s” by other women to be way less offensive.
The problem for me is more with men or people of authority.
I know, I know,
It’s not fair.
It’s just how I feel.
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Yes, I used to work for a Hungarian Doctor for over seven years and he always referred to me as “the girl”. Just give it to “the girl”, "the girl will get that for you etc.
I must admit that I used to cringe when he referred to me that way. I hated it.
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I’ve worked for several doctors that referred to me/us as girl/s.
Doctors seem to be primary offenders.
Or maybe it’s that I’ve always worked in medical.
Don’t know.
It’s condescending and they know that.
Most of them do anyway.
I’ve been known to give very elderly men a pass.
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One of my biggest issues with doctors is that they always refer to themselves as Dr. ____, and yet they call me by my first name. Um, no. That is plain old arrogance and disrespect, especially if I’m older than them. I usually just start calling them by their first name, and/or requiring them to call me Ms. ___. They get the hint. Some of them get really pissed about it, but I expect a doctor to work with me, not have some power trip over me.
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My narcissistic father offends me all the time. He calls me “daughter” to my face, and when talking with others refers to me as 'my daughter", he never uses my name. Maybe he has forgotten it lol.