Is it normal for girl best friends to call eachother babe or baby?

[Anonymous]

(Lesbian here) my girlfriend has always had best friends that say babe and stuff but that was before we got together
we used to be best friends
today their best friend (who is bi, but currently on bumble and was gonna go on a date with a guy not long ago, has a kid, and isn't reallh my gfs type in the body weight area) messaged them and says “hey baby” and it really bothered me
i showed them and asked why they are calling them baby and they just said “i don’t know, it’s just something funny she does” and it very obviously bothered me
They told me that they had no feelings for them and never would, that they are like a sister and that they love me and if they wanted someone else they would Pursue them and Wouldn’t cheat
i trust them on that
but that thought lingers in my head because I’ve just never had my friends call me that, I don't know, I just wanted to make sure it was a normal thing for female friends to do that so I can drop it
(also they are hanging out Tuesday of this week and Wednesday but haven’t seen each other in several months)

[Danny_dan92]

I never understood why heterosexual females do this... it makes me think they’re low key lesbian or bisexual

[Asker]

Honestly, I’m good tho as long as my girlfriend doesn’t call them it back even if it’s friendly, cuz then I’d be heavily disrespected

[Danny_dan92]

Ahh wait. So you’re a girl that is a lesbian?

Yeah be careful then forsure. Cause that would be the equivalent of say a guy like me calling another girl “babe” when I have a girlfriend

[Asker]

That’s how I felt about it but it’s a bit diff, I don’t think they say it back to them, or ever would and they have openly told me they would set boundaries if needed and if their friend liked them then they would back off and give them time to get over it, I fully trust them I just don’t know how to bring up that it made me uncomfortable and kinda hurt my feelings (cuz I thought only I could say that and was special) without them thinking I don’t trust them
I’m fine as long as they know when to set boundaries and don’t say it back
Cuz my friends call me babe or bby all the time, I don't know why but the word baby just feels a bit more personal and hurtful to hear someone else say it
I get bad vibes from their friend but it’s not my place to say anything so I trust them to set boundaries if the time comes

[Sia_nee]

Kinda normal