Does it bother you to be called a "girl"?

Fianschneid · April 2013

I work in the construction industry. While my office is young and progressive, a lot of people we work with are not. So, Mad Men style, the phrase "my girl at the office" and phrases similar to it are thrown around from time to time. I find it infantilizing.

Today, a vendor we use called my direct line asking about a payment and when I picked up, said, "Just the girl I wanted to talk to!" (Well, I should hope I'm the person you wanted to talk to, since I'm the person you called, dip.)

I responded, "Glenn, I'm so flattered that as a woman well into her 30's with a child, you still think I can pass for a girl," as my way of letting him know that the term doesn't apply.

Thoughts on being called a "girl"? Would you care?

Nita2603 · April 2013

Depends on how it is said. Mindlessly? Meh.
Condescending? I'll kick your azz.

tmadden · April 2013

Eh. I also work in the construction industry. Doesn't usually bother me, but sometimes I feel the need to launch some return zingers. Most of them don't even realize they are being insulting.

Fianschneid · April 2013

tmadden:
Eh. I also work in the construction industry. Doesn't usually bother me, but sometimes I feel the need to launch some

blu-eyedwife · April 2013

I think it depends on the situation. The one you described wouldn't bother me, but referring to someone as girl to imply youth/lack of education/inferiority would. ("the girl handling the case for defense...") And although it's situational for me

cantalopes24 · April 2013

I worked in construction and IMO them calling you a girl is them being polite lol. In general though no. The person I job share with and I are "the girls" even though most everyone we work with are female.

CMonkey515 · April 2013

No, it doesn't bother me in the least. At least not in the context you described. If someone calls me a girl in a way that implies that I'm immature or inferior then I'd be annoyed. Just using the term "girl" in an innocent way isn't insulting to me in th

Fianschneid · April 2013

Hmm. I guess I'm being overly sensitive. I'll pull it back a little.

Ms.Jade · April 2013

In the style you first described, "My girl at the office" I would be irritated and say something. In the second style "Just the girl I wanted to talk to..." that's more of an expression and I wouldn't have said anything.

HappyAardvark · April 2013

It would have to be a lot more insulting than that for me to take offense. Like, deliberately phrased to be demeaning. I try not to come across like I have sand in my vagina, especially on perceived gender equality issues, since there are way bigger hills

mamaZbo · April 2013

I don't think it would bother me in the context you described, but if it was said in a demeaning way, then yes I would be irritated. My boss called me kiddo today, but it didn't bother me because of the way he says it. He also said it to my direct supervi

Fianschneid · April 2013

I guess I feel like, if it would be weird for me to refer to a person as a "boy" in the same situation, it is weird to be called a girl.

For instance, if I called him and said, "Just the boy I wanted to talk to," it would feel inappropriate. </p

blu-eyedwife · April 2013

Fianschneid:
Like I said, I'm probably being too sensitive. Good thing I'm taking the day off tomorrow, I suppose.
</di

Liz4444 · April 2013

I dislike ma'am more, it makes me feel old.

missyishere · April 2013

Take this pink ribbon off my eyes.

wilsontl19191 · April 2013

Liz4444:
I dislike ma'am more, it makes me feel old.

This!
I work with a bunch of cops and it's am

leahandbuck · April 2013

I get more irritated when someone assumes I am a legal secretary or paralegal because I am a female. I don't hesitate to correct that mistake because I have too much student loan debt to not get credit for my position. :