General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Women only: Regarding the use of the term 'girls' to describe women. [View all]seabeyond
(110,159 posts)but closest to the options given. with clarification.
i dont see young women as women but it is the same with young men. so i have a bit of a problem using it as a whole for like 18 yr olds that are declared as adults.
i had a tough time using women. i used ladies or girls like most all i am around. it seemed like it was an insult using women. as if we were calling them old or something. i realized this about a year ago. it took a lot of work for me to personally get beyond calling women girls and ladies. to own the word. then i started noticing all others doing this, too. and i started having conversation. why we did this. i started falling in love with the word woman. not particularly liking girl and lady.
i was at a car lot talking to a woman. she says.... i am the only girl here. woman, i said. you are a woman not a girl. she was going to dismiss it with a wave of the hand and then stopped talking, looked me in the eye and said.... thank you. yes. woman. we had a bonding moment.
my 14 yr old son was talking the other day. he always goes into these stories. he says, .... there was a girl
i stop him there. i need the facts. woman or girl? i ask.
woman he says.... and goes on with the story.
it matters. i was picturing a girl. i have so separated the words that i no longer see a woman when i hear girl.
anyway, i didnt care for many years. now i do. not the end of the world when someone uses girl. i get we are conditioned. but....