Being called "Lady"

guruchelles

Hate hate hate 'lady'.

I have three sons and I teach them all to say 'woman'. For me, it's not really an age thing, but a cultural thing, and it's a feminist issue. 'Lady' comes loaded with cultural expectations of how women should behave (ie. "be more ladylike"). It would be like referring to all men as 'gentleman'.

For a while I worked in an all-girl grammar school where the convention was to address a group as 'ladies'. Stuck in my throat every time I had to do it.

TeamLowe

When I worked at McDonald's I used to get referred to as 'nice lady' by parents coaxing their children into talking to me 'tell the nice lady what you want' or 'give the nice lady your pennies'

If was a bit strange being called lady at 16 but at least they're complimentary lol x

jackieblack

miss_independent wrote: »

Lol...it's completely just me then! At least it's better than when I'm in the USA and get referred to as Ma'am.

I LOVE being called 'Ma'am' when I'm in the USA

I'd rather be referred to as 'this/that lady' than 'this/that woman'. Lady just seems more polite.

Goldiegirl

I think 'lady' sounds nicer than 'woman'

Eg, 'get out of the lady's way', sounds polite and respectful, but 'get out of the woman's way' sounds harsh and vaguely rude.

I can't see that it's a feminist issue either. Surely in 2013' we are confident enough in our equality not to feel downtrodden by what is simply a polite term

guruchelles

Goldiegirl wrote: »

I think 'lady' sounds nicer than 'woman'

Eg, 'get out of the lady's way', sounds polite and respectful, but 'get out of the woman's way' sounds harsh and vaguely rude.

I can't see that it's a feminist issue either. Surely in 2013' we are confident enough in our equality not to feel downtrodden by what is simply a polite term

We don't have equality in 2013. The normalization of culturally loaded terms like 'lady' contributes to that fact.

Maysie

I think woman sounds horrible. I would feel more offended to be called that woman than that lady. I don't think of lady in a class way at all. Perhaps its regional. I hear lady a fair bit round hereabouts.

helenut

I get called "lady" a lot at work as I work with children and it's what their parents refer to me as. I found it odd at first but now I sometimes catch myself referring to myself in the third person as lady.... "let the lady put these on you" or "look at the lady" meaning myself!

I'm 23 btw but I don't feel it makes me sound old, I would prefer lady to girl.

Gloomendoom

guruchelles wrote: »

We don't have equality in 2013. The normalization of culturally loaded terms like 'lady' contributes to that fact.

Are you bonkers?

Hermia

I don't mind lady at all. I just think of it as the female equivalent of gentleman. I don't read anything into those two terms. I'm also not sure what other terms I could use at work. Referring to a customer as "that woman" or "that man" seems a bit too abrupt.

guruchelles

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Are you bonkers?

Seems a bit personal. Not bonkers, but am a first class graduate of sociology with focus on women's studies and feminism.