Question for the Ladies, Men Can Answer as well if they want to

[Introverted1293]

Sorry, I wrote this in another section, but I don't think that section is very active. So, I am going to repost it here.

Do you find it disrespectful when young men or any man refer to women as chicks? I don't understand why they do this. There is this chick outside and she was like this or that, is what I hear a lot. My brothers refer to women this way.

Why can't they just say there is this lady outside?

 

[mmksparbud]

Because men like to refer to women with names that make them into helpless things---like chicks, baby, and so on. Chick=baby chicken. This makes them feel more powerful, protective, manly over the helpless little thing.

 

[mreeed]

I recited a poem when I was young for my aunt's wedding, I can only remember so far now, and my google searching hasn't turned it up, should talk to her about it some time...

Husbands are like baby chickens,
hold them gently in your hand,
hold them warmly, hold them closely...

 

[Frugality]

Because men like to refer to women with names that make them into helpless things---like chicks, baby, and so on. Chick=baby chicken. This makes them feel more powerful, protective, manly over the helpless little thing.

My girlfriend and I both use "baby" a lot. It has everything to do with common vocabulary and nothing to do with sexism.

 

[Introverted1293]

My girlfriend and I both use "baby" a lot. It has everything to do with common vocabulary and nothing to do with sexism.

So, does my sister and her husband. I understand that.

 

[Introverted1293]

Because men like to refer to women with names that make them into helpless things---like chicks, baby, and so on. Chick=baby chicken. This makes them feel more powerful, protective, manly over the helpless little thing.

Thank you for your input. It really helps me understand

 

[Pavel Mosko]

Sorry, I wrote this in another section, but I don't think that section is very active. So, I am going to repost it here.

Do you find it disrespectful when young men or any man refer to women as chicks? I don't understand why they do this. There is this chick outside and she was like this or that, is what I hear a lot. My brothers refer to women this way.

Why can't they just say there is this lady outside?

I have had that as part of my slang since probably the late 1970s. And in all that time, there was only one person, the wife of a friend that seemed to mind, but it seems like a lady equivalent to dude, a term that I think that lady would not have minded, her objections I think came out of a feminist mind set.

 

[Introverted1293]

I have had that as part of my slang since probably the late 1970s. And in all that time, there was only one person, the wife of a friend that seemed to mind, but it seems like a lady equivalent to dude, a term that I think that lady would not have minded, her objections I think came out of a feminist mind set.

Oh, okay, thank you. I wasn't sure if it was disrespectful or not. That is why I asked. But I guess that is a little understandable

 

[Introverted1293]

I recited a poem when I was young for my aunt's wedding, I can only remember so far now, and my google searching hasn't turned it up, should talk to her about it some time...

Husbands are like baby chickens,
hold them gently in your hand,
hold them warmly, hold them closely...

Nice

I love going to weddings. But I never get invited because I don't know many people for I am coped up in my apartment. LOL

I know that has nothing to do with what I was asking LOL I just wanted you to know LOL

 

[MehGuy]

Sorry, I wrote this in another section, but I don't think that section is very active. So, I am going to repost it here.

Do you find it disrespectful when young men or any man refer to women as chicks? I don't understand why they do this. There is this chick outside and she was like this or that, is what I hear a lot. My brothers refer to women this way.

Why can't they just say there is this lady outside?

In my daily life I do not see many men referring to women as "chicks". Only reference I can really think of is Beavis and Butthead, lol. As far as the term being sexist, it might be. If it refers to a more helpless damsel. Than again, this need to portray women as weak and helpless is not a one way street. During the last decade we men have had to deal with everything under the sun somehow oppressing women. Trigger warnings almost excusive to them. The need for women to somehow be viewed as weaker and needing of extra protection is not something that is just desired by men but many women too. Although I think that drive has fortunately died down as of late, at least to an extent.

I mean it makes sense, women are more neotenous than men and this has colored our evolutionary psychology and sexual/romantic dynamics. As an egalitarian I find it pretty abhorrent, but in this day and age I'm not going to be too worried if a man refers to women as "chicks". There are much deeper things to fix before worrying about the impact if any that really has.

 

[Introverted1293]

In my daily life I do not see many men referring to women as "chicks". Only reference I can really think of is Beavis and Butthead, lol. As far as the term being sexist, it might be. If it refers to a more helpless damsel. Than again, this need to portray women as weak and helpless is not a one way street. During the last decade we men have had to deal with everything under the sun somehow oppressing women. Trigger warnings almost excusive to them. The need for women to somehow be viewed as weaker and needing of extra protection is not something that is just desired by men but many women too. Although I think that drive has fortunately died down as of late, at least to an extent.

I mean it makes sense, women are more neotenous than men and this has colored our evolutionary psychology and sexual/romantic dynamics. As an egalitarian I find it pretty abhorrent, but in this day and age I'm not going to be too worried if a man refers to women as "chicks". There are much deeper things to fix before worrying about the impact if any that really has.

Thank you very much.

And you're right, there are more pressing things to worry about. I was just trying to see things from a woman's perspective. Thank you for your input. It was quite informative actually.

 

[eleos1954]

Sorry, I wrote this in another section, but I don't think that section is very active. So, I am going to repost it here.

Do you find it disrespectful when young men or any man refer to women as chicks? I don't understand why they do this. There is this chick outside and she was like this or that, is what I hear a lot. My brothers refer to women this way.

Why can't they just say there is this lady outside?

Could be some of them are flaunting their ego (self-importance)

also ... could be simply a learned/adopted language jargon ....

personally ... it doesn't bother me

ie ... I might call a man a "dude" but certainly not meaning anything disrespectful about it.

 

[Introverted1293]

Could be some of them are flaunting their ego (self-importance)

also ... could be simply a learned/adopted language jargon ....

personally ... it doesn't bother me

ie ... I might call a man a "dude" but certainly not meaning anything disrespectful about it.

Thank you

I don't know why I am surprised. I got some different answers. But thank you for your input. That is true, we men do get called dudes. I never thought that was offensive.

 

[mmksparbud]

My girlfriend and I both use "baby" a lot. It has everything to do with common vocabulary and nothing to do with sexism.

Yah, my husband always called me baby, and my 1st husband called me kitten. I was just giving an answer to the question---there are probably others. I called my 1st husband "pumpkin". We are also called honey. All are terms of endearment, in Costa Rica a loved one is called "negrita." Which means little black girl---It has nothing to do with race, for even white women are called that. Costa Rica is not a racist country -- all are mixed together and live together without problems. It's just a term of endearment---we come up with all sorts of nicknames to call each other. My stepson called his sister "Roach!" I'd rather be called baby--one woman I know hated that terminology and would always counter with " I am a grown woman, I do not wear diapers, nor do I drool." They didn't call her that anymore.

 

[Introverted1293]

Yah, my husband always called me baby, and my 1st husband called me kitten. I was just giving an answer to the question---there are probably others. I called my 1st husband "pumpkin". We are also called honey. All are terms of endearment, in Costa Rica a loved one is called "negrita." Which means little black girl---It has nothing to do with race, for even white women are called that. Costa Rica is not a racist country -- all are mixed together and live together without problems. It's just a term of endearment---we come up with all sorts of nicknames to call each other. My stepson called his sister "Roach!" I'd rather be called baby--one woman I know hated that terminology and would always counter with " I am a grown woman, I do not wear diapers, nor do I drool." They didn't call her that anymore.

I appreciate the answer. I just wanted to know if it was disrespectful. I got different answers. But thank you for your answer. I thought it was weird when my brothers did it. But I guess, it all depends on the person. I think we should just try hard to not offend. But if the woman is not offended I am not going to make a big deal out of it.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

In all honesty I'm not sure how much of our slang comes the bird term vs. an Anglicized version of La Chicas. After watching some bilingual Netflix shows, I actually think we stole it from the Latins.

 

[Introverted1293]

In all honesty I'm not sure how much of our slang comes the bird term vs. an Anglicized version of La Chicas. After watching some bilingual Netflix shows, I actually think we stole it from the Latins.

At first, I was like what? But now I get it.

That is interesting. I have always wondered where that bird term has come from.

 

[Kenny'sID]

I think they basically just think it sounds cool, when nothing could be further from the truth.

That's about it as far as I can see. It's how the world talks.

 

[com7fy8]

A baby is lovable.

A chicken is for laying eggs and being eaten.

But I'm not sure this would be the Latin intention. Maybe they are thinking of the soft feathers, so you can enjoy holding a chicken.

I think you can see what each person has to say. The original meaning might not be what a word means to someone using it now.

 

[RDKirk]

Back in the day, both "chicks" and "hens" were used. A "chick" was unmarried.

And "dude" was originally a term of great derision, a feckless man.