Being called "Lady"

guruchelles

Goldiegirl wrote: »

The are clearly women in some cultures that have no freedoms at all, but I can't agree that the British woman of 2013 doesn't have equality.

If we don't have equality by now, what has been the point of all that feminism over the last 40 years

It's a fact that women haven't yet achieved equality, not an opinion with which one can agree or disagree.

The point of all the feminism over the last 40 years (and also previous to that) was to achieve equality. Massive battles have been won, but we're not quite there yet. We still have a distinct gender pay gap, for example, and female bodies are still routinely objectified and judged in a way that male bodies aren't. Just two examples.

lostinrates

guruchelles wrote: »

It's a fact that women haven't yet achieved equality, not an opinion with which one can agree or disagree.

The point of all the feminism over the last 40 years (and also previous to that) was to achieve equality. Massive battles have been won, but we're not quite there yet. We still have a distinct gender pay gap, for example, and female bodies are still routinely objectified and judged in a way that male bodies aren't. Just two examples.

Its true there is a pay gap.

As for objectification...I am not so sure this is a sexism issue, more a feature of how different sexes do things. My male gay friends lust over other men's bodies and 'objectify them' for example.

Some of us DO feel equal, but feel different. I really hate it when other women who feel differently try to take that choice of difference away and turn it into 'unequal'

heartbreak_star

Speaking as someone who believes in equality and hates both uber-chauvinism and uber-feminism...

Adult males and females = ladies and gentlemen
Children under about 16 = girls and boys

However I am a Geordie, so you get "lads and lasses" of all ages here

I do far prefer "lady" to "woman". As was mentioned above, the phrase is never "Lady, get back in the kitchen" or "Lady, make me a sandwich" or so on in the old cartoons...always "Woman".

HBS x

pollypenny

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 the way Americans say 'ma'am'! So courteous.

Gloomendoom

guruchelles wrote: »

It's a fact that women haven't yet achieved equality, not an opinion with which one can agree or disagree.

The point of all the feminism over the last 40 years (and also previous to that) was to achieve equality. Massive battles have been won, but we're not quite there yet. We still have a distinct gender pay gap, for example, and female bodies are still routinely objectified and judged in a way that male bodies aren't. Just two examples.

Good luck with the last one. I suspect that it has more to do with hard coded human nature than any concious act of discrimination.

pollypenny

Counting_Pennies wrote: »

Girl for someone who looks school age, and lady for someone who looks as if they are old enough to hold down a job.

I would not take offence in the slightest, more happy that someone was being polite

About a year ago my 30 year old niece, who is a GP, was amused by a child whispering to mother, 'is Dr. X a girl?'


That happened twice in a week.:rotfl:

Bitsy_Beans

guruchelles wrote: »

It's a fact that women haven't yet achieved equality, not an opinion with which one can agree or disagree.

The point of all the feminism over the last 40 years (and also previous to that) was to achieve equality. Massive battles have been won, but we're not quite there yet. We still have a distinct gender pay gap, for example, and female bodies are still routinely objectified and judged in a way that male bodies aren't. Just two examples.

To be fair I think women are for more judgmental about other women's bodies than men are. You only have to see the likes of the stories in Heat magazine and the like where celebs are being picked apart on body shape and size. These sorts of mags are aimed at women so it can't all be down to men.
And for for being objectified I would suggest you look at the number of w a n k bank FB pages which are adorned with pictures of men wearing not very much. I feel we are perhaps catching up with men in that regard!

pigpen

I agree with Bitsy.. I actually dislike having pictures of half naked men on my fb newsfeed as much as having women in their skimpies.. clothes were invented for a reason.. wear the darn things!. Men are very much objectified. It doesn't make them less or more equal just dehumanised, I find it degrading on their behalf.

Pay gaps are something I have not seen in practice for many years, pay differences due to qualifications or experience yes but never gender... where does this happen now? Employment roles there is a different with a lower number of men working in retail it would appear (clothes and food and other boring stuff) I think there are more opportunities now for women to the point men are overlooked for promotions in favour of women because the employers are far too bothered about being sued for discrimination rather than looking at the best person for a particular role (I have seen a few examples of this happening)

I think there are more opportunities for pretty people (part. women) to do well too.. that's not down to gender it is down to your manager not wanting to run away screaming when you turn up on a Monday morning lol.

pukkamum

I have taught all my kids to refer to men and women that they didn't know as ladies and gentlemen and people always say how lovely its, for example in a shop I will say 'say thank you to the Lady/gentleman' my lo now says hello Lady when she sees the shopkeeper and she loves it.
I wouldn't want them to say thank you man or woman that just sounds wierd!

Mojisola

miss_independent wrote: »

I'm just curious. This week I've been referred to loads of times as "The Lady".

Eg. "Jack, can't you see the Lady is trying to pass?"

"Are you the Lady who was speaking just now?"

"The Lady is here about x"

"Who was the Lady who came over and spoke to me?" someone asked my friend about me today.

What do you think they should have said?

"Are you the woman who was speaking just now?" sounds odd to me.

I think people are just trying to be polite (and obviously think you're too old to be called a "girl"!):)