LADIES AND GENTLEMEN GENTLES ALL:
Did you know that some people do not like to be called ladies?
I know, I know. You thought it was just a polite way to address women. You heard women don’t like to be called females or girls!
You’re right. For some women, “ladies” is a charming, even an empowering, term. For others, it’s condescending and limiting, enforcing stereotypes about women’s weakness and social codes prescribing ladylike behavior; plus, its use very often involves making assumptions about a person’s gender, assumptions that may be incorrect. Not even feminists can agree if it’s a word we want to use!
I asked some pals (I did a pal-poll) how they felt about this important topic. I also interviewed myself. Continue reading
