Pubes (Yes, I'm going there, and yes, this is serious)

[McDreidel09]

I know i'm gonna represent a minority on this, but here it goes:
I prefer my men to be shaved. I prefer my women to be shaved. I prefer myself to be shaved. For me, it feels better and smoother. What is really weird is that I like it when guys have facial hair (if they look good in it), but nowhere else. It's not that it grosses me out, but I like silky smooth.

[Greenday]

Girls and women are interchangeable to me. It's a word I use to define gender, not age.

[Jadedcarguy]

Girls and women are interchangeable to me. It's a word I use to define gender, not age.

Preach, brotha!!

[Boozy]

Girls and women are interchangeable to me. It's a word I use to define gender, not age.

Although I know it's not your intent, the word "girls" to refer to a grown woman can often sound condescending, dismissive, and chauvinistic. Rarely would I call a fully-grown adult male a "boy".

Now this is dependent on context, of course. When my husband goes out with his friends, I will often say "he's out with the boys", and he in turn is referring to my upcoming getaway as a "girls' weekend" (as am I). In those cases, using "girls and boys" has a fun and playful connotation to it that works well with the spirit of the events.

However, in referring to sex or relationships, I always prefer that men use the word "women." Calling women "girls" in the context of a sexual relationship infantilizes them and hints at the balance of power. It's a good example of how language evolved to reflect a chauvinistic society, even if the speaker isn't chauvinistic himself.

[Greenday]

In that case, maybe we should change the words boyfriend and girlfriend to manfriend and womanfriend.

No one has complained about those terms so it can't be THAT horrible.

[Saydrah]

However, in referring to sex or relationships, I always prefer that men use the word "women." Calling women "girls" in the context of a sexual relationship infantilizes them and hints at the balance of power. It's a good example of how language evolved to reflect a chauvinistic society, even if the speaker isn't chauvinistic himself.

I'm with Boozy on this one. I don't like it when in either a professional relationship or sexual relationship context, women are referred to as girls. It's demeaning. Like Boozy said, it's all about the context and who the speaker is-- but "I married a wonderful woman" sounds a lot more respectful than "I married a great girl."

[anriana]

In that case, maybe we should change the words boyfriend and girlfriend to manfriend and womanfriend.

That is another term comparable to "boys' night out" or "girls' night out." It is also, like both of those, used equally by both genders.

I personally much prefer the term "partner" for my S.O. - my boyfriends were the guys I passed notes to in middle school - and simply "friend" for friends of either gender.

No one has complained about those terms so it can't be THAT horrible.

It must be pretty cool being omniscient.

[Greenday]

That is another term comparable to "boys' night out" or "girls' night out." It is also, like both of those, used equally by both genders.

I personally much prefer the term "partner" for my S.O. - my boyfriends were the guys I passed notes to in middle school - and simply "friend" for friends of either gender.



It must be pretty cool being omniscient.

I'm just saying, in 20 years, this is the first time I've ever heard anyone having a problem with calling a group of females "girls" and a group of males "boys". And I have definitely never heard any complaints with the terms boyfriend or girlfriend. Cause if you have a problem with one, you have a problem with the other. When I refer to a group of girls, I'm not being sexist/belittling/demeaning. I'm referring to their sex and nothing more. Saying it's sexist/belittling/demeaning is just adding meaning to it that really isn't there.

[Sylvia727]

Saying it's sexist/belittling/demeaning is just adding meaning to it that really isn't there.

You don't say it with that meaning, but many others do. In person, I go by tone to determine whether the person is belittling or just using slang, but the internet is more ambiguous. I'm glad you don't have any experience with people using the word "girl" as more demeaning than "woman", but I do, and apparently others here do as well. I usually give people the benefit of the doubt when they say "girl", especially among the 18-35 year-old crowd that is more likely to be laid back about gender relations. But there are people who leave no doubt when they talk that they are subtly disrespectful of women.

[Flyndaran]

I'm just saying, in 20 years, this is the first time I've ever heard anyone having a problem with calling a group of females "girls" and a group of males "boys". And I have definitely never heard any complaints with the terms boyfriend or girlfriend. Cause if you have a problem with one, you have a problem with the other. When I refer to a group of girls, I'm not being sexist/belittling/demeaning. I'm referring to their sex and nothing more. Saying it's sexist/belittling/demeaning is just adding meaning to it that really isn't there.

Strange. I loathe referring to adults as children, unless they are in the act of behaving like children.
I have been in a rock stable relationship with my life mate for ten years. You should notice that I don't like referring to her as a girlfriend. That is what children call their cute puppy crushes. I have a true life long relathionship stronger than any marriage that I am certain will last as long as I live. Calling her my girlfriend insults the depths of my feelings.

[Greenday]

I've just always seen girls/females as interchangeable words. I never related either one to ages. Same with boys/males.

[AFPheonix]

I don't think the words themselves are really all that damaging. The tone in which they are used can be extremely disdainful, however.

[Greenday]

I don't think the words themselves are really all that damaging. The tone in which they are used can be extremely disdainful, however.

I'm pretty sure you can do that with almost any word though.

[AFPheonix]

Yep, pretty much. There is such a thing as too PC, and I think this is one of those things.

[Boozy]

I don't have a problem with girlfriend/boyfriend, but I know what Flyndaran means when he says the word doesn't reflect the depth of his commitment to his partner.

Before my husband and I were married, I called him my boyfriend up to a certain point. But by the time we were living together, it didn't seem right. He was more than my "boyfriend".

When my dad started dating after his divorce from my mother, he became serious with a lovely woman whom we all liked. He introduced her to us as his "girlfriend." I couldn't help it; I snickered. Then I quickly apologized and explained why. My dad is a grown man over the age of 50. Thinking of him as someone's "boy" friend was silly. I suggested "partner", at which point my dad snickered. "Partner" has never caught on around here for anyone other than same-sex couples.

Too bad, because I'd prefer it to "husband" and "wife" even for married couples. I like the way it implies an equal and cooperative relationship.