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Ladies or women?

Asset

By Asset
in The Lounge

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MrBen

MrBen

Posted
Posted
Let's say I'm a head waiter at the Savoy, and I'm trying to get two women from a mixed group to show them to their table. "Women, if you'd kindly follow me..". Sounds weird. If they were men you'd say "Gentlemen". I'd hate to offen women like Asset so what's the correct (as in PC) form?
Voyageur

Voyageur

Posted
Posted

Asset Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm not sure you're right about that. People have

> been getting 'het up' over labels for quite a

> while and for good reason.


Some have - some haven't. Some women/ladies/birds have got other things in life to fill their minds :)

Voyageur

Voyageur

Posted
Posted

TheArtfulDogger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> My father used to call women he didn't know

> sweetheart or darling

>

> Thankfully that sort of behaviour is dying out

> these days

>

> Thankfully and soon, love, there will be no more

> talk like that ;-)


Happy with any of the above - they make me smile.


Not too keen on 'dear' though, although it doesn't keep me awake at night.

Voyageur

Voyageur

Posted
Posted

TheArtfulDogger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> My father used to call women he didn't know

> sweetheart or darling

>

> Thankfully that sort of behaviour is dying out

> these days

>

> Thankfully and soon, love, there will be no more

> talk like that ;-)


I suppose 'all'? Happy with 'ladies and gentlemen' though [snort!]


My workplace is very PC. I remember a few years ago I was in a small team of women and when we emailed the group we prefaced the content with 'Ladies'. My boss was cc'd into one or two of the emails and told us to stop starting the group emails with the word 'Ladies' - even though we were all female and happy with the term - as he thought it was sexist to refer to gender. he insisted we start the group emails with 'All'.


We took no notice...

RosieH

RosieH

Posted
Posted

To my mind, it's about the signifier and the signified. The word "lady" has connotations that "woman" simply does not. In fact, it has a definition in the OED as such - genteel or refined woman.


I don't like it because of the implications / expectations of an acceptable mode of behaviour it conveys.


That said, where it's the female equivalent of gentleman, I have no problem. Ladies and gentlemen is fine. 'Cup of tea for my lady' at the hairdressers, no problem.

katie1997

katie1997

Posted
Posted

couldn't agree more Asset - the term really grates on me too.


Saying that tho, I am rather more forgiving depending on context/who is using it. Eg. recently didn't mind when a grandmother at my local library instructed her granddaughter to say 'thank you to the lady' (she meant ME - eeks!) for picking up the book she'd dropped...but otherwise, it usually drives me nuts.


but mostly, it depends on context and intention, I think.


edited: for rubbish grammar etc.

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