From: rll1@kepler.unh.edu (Robert L Lamothe)
Newsgroups: soc.singles
Subject: Re: girl/lady/female  boy/guy/male
Date: 16 Nov 1992 21:59:08 GMT
Organization: University of New Hampshire  -  Durham, NH
NNTP-Posting-Host: kepler.unh.edu

In article <BxIvAv.M6C@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu> cscdc@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu (Dan Carpenter) wr
ites:
>In article <1992Nov10.043352.10000@galileo.cc.rochester.edu> jsmt@troi.cc.roche
ster.edu (Julia Smith) writes:
>>In article <BxH37C.n4H@news.udel.edu> todd@chester.cms.udel.edu writes:
>>*story deleted*
>>>
>>>So I ask this group, which has a large % of female participants,  is gender n
eutral terminology to be expected?
>>>
>>>
>>Todd, the main difference for me is between personal and professional.
>>When I am talking to someone on a personal level, I feel no offense
>>regardless of the language used - including vulgarity - because it
>>is between individuals.  But professionally, I will not tolerate being
>>referred to as a "girl," nor am I comfortable with male gender pronouns
>>used to refer to groups which include women (such as "the student....he"
>>when a female student could very easily be the referent).  For me,
>>the defensiveness comes from the very real concern of being dismissed
>>professionally because of my gender (school administration is a very
>>old-boy network).
>>
>>those are my guidelines anyway.  I'll be interested to hear what others
>>have to say.
>>
>>--j
>
>There is "boy", and then there is "*B*oy", the later having an emphasise
>on the "B".  The same is available with "girls".  A lot depends on the
>tone and the intent of the speaker.
>
> IF the speaker desires to be an A**hole, then I take offense; but if it
>is just conversation, then I don't get irritated by it.
>
>That's my Opinion.
>
>Dan
>
        Personally I get a little irritated by this kind of thing.  I've
had many young females give me a lecture about them being women and not
girls when I've used the term during conversation.  I'm not of the
opinion that boys become men and girls become women when they've reached
the milestone of being 18.  Indeed I've known many males of the species
to whom I would not ascribe the term "man" even though they may exceed
me by years.  To me the terms man and woman are not labels which are
given out at a prescribed age, but are terms of respect to be used when
the individual in question has proven themselves worthy of the title.  Any
female who whines and moans and generally acts like a 12 year old is not
a woman but a girl, regardless of her chronology.  The same applies for
any male who'd rather engage in self pity and crawl in a bottle and suck
his thumb, this is not a man.  Additionaly any female who jumps on my
sh*t and gives me hell about her being a woman and not a girl while in
idle and friendly conversation is clearly a wannabe who is trying to get
respect without earning it.  The point is some things are earned and not
ascribed, any person who has earned respect from me will recieve the
proper addressing.  Anyone else?  Well I guess it depends on whether I
feel irascible or condescending.
                                                        -Bob

-- 
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*                                                                             *
* Robert L. Lamothe                           University of New Hampshire     *
* rll@unh.edu                                 Interoperablity lab room 220    *
*                                             C/S Major                       *
*                                                                             *
* Just because you're not paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get you.  *
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Newsgroups: soc.singles