Isn't it weird when people call adult women girls?

Question

I had a man call a 35 year old woman a girl today. It's creepy and weird in my opinion.

paledreams · Accepted Answer

I say women to describe any female who's 18 because I expect as I'm 30 to be called a man at my age not be called a boy i'd feel disrespect lol lol 😂 silly folks out there are hopeless

slatyb · Accepted Answer

Yes, it is. I try not to call any female over 17 a girl.

MisterWack · Answer

Honestly, doesn’t matter to me depending on the context / situation.

We’re called “boys” even as adult men and I don’t see it as taboo. Hell, I’m currently on a site with ‘Girls’ in the title I’d be a hypocrite if I were to call it weird…

Just think it depends on circumstance and how it is presented in the moment more than anything.

WhiteSteve · Answer

It would depend on the context. Otherwise I don’t really split hairs about it, I know what people mean to say. It’s kind of just a figure of speech, it’s not meant literally or with intent of likening anyone with a child.

In many contexts, to me, “boy” is synonymous with “man”, “girl” is synonymous with “woman.” Not for nothing, I hear adult women refer to each other as “girl” fairly frequently. My group of male friends, I’d collectively refer to them as “my boys”, not “my men.”

There’s a context that IS creepy, usually preceded by “little”…. if a man calls an adult woman “little girl”, that’s when I’m like “bro, are you a pedo or something?”, like he’s trying to pretend that she’s underage or “barely legal” by addressing her as such, but I think that’s very rare.

Linguistically, the word “woman” is just kind of awkward, just in the sense of it’s a two-syllable word in a category of one-syllable words (boy, girl, man…”WOMAN” is the outlier), so it rolls off the tongue better saying “girl” than “woman”, vs “boy” compared to “man” which are basically interchangeable, at least syllabically, with phrases we might regularly say but just change who we’re talking to.

Also, a man addressing a female as “Woman” sounds condescending and wife-beater-y. “Girl” seems more playful. “Girl, be quiet” sounds fine in a not-serious argument, but “Woman, be quiet” sounds like she’s about to be hit.

Similarly, in Boston, where I’m from, we say “kid” to mean just about any person, child or adult, it means the same as “guy” or “dude” or “bro”, but can also be used in a unisex manner. I might greet my also-45 year old friends with “what’s up, kid?” My girlfriend is 40 years old, but I might say to somebody “she’s a good kid”…. but that means absolutely nothing related to her age. If I get fired up in one of my hockey games I might tell and opponent with a rowdy teammate or tell the referee “Settle that kid down before I take his head off his shoulders”, lmao, I can use it anywhere, but it just doesn’t mean “child” except when I explicitly refer to a child. The listener would need to use context clues, but it’s very obvious.

So…. I don’t get to caught up in words and what they “technically” mean, that’s just a phenomenon of language, we twist words into colloquial meanings that might not align with the dictionary definition, and it requires context to understand. I think if the language isn’t your native one it can also be confusing. My girlfriend’s dad is from Puerto Rico, but even in some South American country he visited (can’t remember which one), the Spanish wasn’t the same as in Puerto Rico, and I guess there was some misunderstanding where he asked someone something innocuous, like where he could catch a bus or something, but in that dialect, it was like asking to buy a kid for sex, or something else crazy like that, and there was a whole thing he had to explain🤦‍♂️😂

Anonymous · Answer

Eh, I hear it a lot where I am. I PERSONALLY feel it's a little weird to call women "women" in some contexts. But I think referring to adult women as girls (or boys with men) is pretty common in my life.

I think it comes down to context. "Girls" can sometimes be meant as a compliment (like a waiter referring to a group of old women). I think it's weird though if I had a "girlfriend," (as both adults) but it's REALLY odd to refer to her as "my womanfriend." (Sounds like an 80 year old being formal and "cute"). Ladyfriend has the same problem.

The way I personally differentiate is if you act entitled, lazy, super immature, do stuff like steal your dad's car, etc... and you're 27... have an unsanctioned party and everyone gets wasted and you all tear up someone's house that isn't yours... and that's your "default" behavior... then it's "girl" (or "boy") behavior.

I had a 30 something GIRL I dated a while ago. I also have known 23 year old women. I know "men" and "women" who seem like they're stuck in early high school drama mode. Like... really? "Y'all are hitting 60, and still doing this middle school drama crap!"

I still occasionally get something like "you boys have fun!"usually coming from any parents of friends I might occasionally see. I don't take it as a huge insult. Maybe it's a generational thing, or a regional thing... but it's never been a big problem. I guess most people just laugh it off or won't assume someone is always purposely trying to demean us.

A friend and I had a running joke where we'd act offended, (his mom had the habit of calling us boys (not meant as in insult)), but we'd be over 18) "You boys have fun at the party, now!" We'd say "WOMAN! WE'RE MEN! MEN OF POWER, AND VIRILITY!" "OTHER MEN WANT TO BE US, AND WOMEN WANT TO BE WITH US!" and then we'd both flex a bunch (we were both scrawny dudes) and brag about how manly we were (like a Bill Brasky story or Chuck Norris fact), while we walked off.

I think it's a little weird (same as with men) but that's me. But I tend to overthink things, so...

CrazyGirl2 · Answer

No, not really. My friends and I refer to the group as girls, as in: “The girls night out”, or when Lee asks where I’m going, and I just say “I’m going to have lunch with the girls". My friends are my “girl friends”, and despite us usually greeting the group with “what’s up bitches?”, we refer to ourselves as girls. like… “it’s not easy being a girl today, b/c there are so many expectations on us to be the lady-boss, but I just want to be a mom!” which was said by one of my friends just last night.

So no, I don’t think it’s weird when people call young adult women “girls”. But it does depend entirely on context. I do think it's weird, and rude, when someone (usually a troll) says something like “don’t get your panties in a twist, little girl!”. Now THAT really is dismissive and rude. But in the right context, no there is nothing wrong with it as far as I’m concerned. Maybe it’s like other words that were used as insults in the past, but have been reclaimed by that community. Like, It’s okay for us to say it, or for people we know and love to say it, but when a stranger says it, it sounds really rude, dismissive, condescending, and disrespectful!

Thanks for the great question! I’ve never thought about that before.
Laura 🤗 🥰

uncleBobbyb77 · Answer

Yes it is, disturbingly so. To go one step further I have a suspicion that it was some in the closet, long term minded, sicko, psycho, pedos that started the trend of using "baby" as a petname for adults in a relationship to reference their adult counterpart so that subconsciously the general population gradually becomes desensitized to the idea of adults having relations with children. Every time i hear someone say "come on, babe/baby" I cringe, thinking "No!! That's disgusting!! Come on, a Lady, not a baby". There's also another subconscious psychological reason not to call your adult lover "Baby". The way you treat your significant other in front of others sets the example for how you expect them to be treated. If you want other adults to perceive them as childish and treat them as such then by all means make it a habit to call them "Babe/Baby" all the time. Call me dear, or sweetheart, or hun/honey, anything except Baby... a lifetime of programming is hard to overcome when trying to break habits, especially when such habits are commonplace amongst the majority of the population. It's one of the many ways I refuse to conform to societal norms

KostasKouvalis · Answer

I don't think so. It's mostly just a figure of speach. Same like people using the phrase "college kids." There was one guy at my work who said, "The woman in the mustang", and I called her a "girl". Some things just roll off the tongue better. Some people care too much about political correctness. But a lot of women also have a young mental age. And also we don't say "womanfriend", we say "girlfriend", right? Don't breed into it too seriously. I feel most girls wouldn't get offended by this. The only one I found was weird was when one of my friends liked "girls" on Facebook, and it showed him picture of "little girls"

Even in other lanaguages, people don't say "woman" but "girl"

The dictionary defition is "a female child" OR "a young or relatively young woman". Which I guess what's considered "young" is open to interprotation. Regardless, I think you're overreacting.

I personallly don't like when people call me a "man".

And I thought it was stupid that an online article reffered to Drew Binsky as a "man". He doesn't look like a "man", and he doesn't act like a man, and he isn't that old. "Guy" is more approrpiate

strateguy632 · Answer

It is very common, like super girl  and when i was a kid invisible girl kuz lady need to feel YOUNG ! Woke marvel changed her name see aliases. Ugh.

Crimsyjo · Answer

Haha I like it cos I don't wanna face up to my age compared how I feel 😄 and "girl" is not like a under 18 only term.

I love it when my crush says "good girl" for doing naughty things he asks or "bad girl" for sending him something teasing.

Good woman/bad woman doesn't have the same vibe 😂

rgii55447 · Answer

I guess because the slang terms are guy and gal, but gal seems kind of awkward, so it just becomes girl. It's harder to get boy out of guy than it is to get girl out of gal. Perhaps it's just a generational thing, but calling someone man or woman just sounds too formal for me, and at least from my perspective, somebody who has a very mature outlook on life, as an adult myself, very few adults these days have a mature outlook on life, we like to have fun and be lively. Even in more formal situations, I'd much rather the term lady over woman.

FunkyMonkee · Answer

No weirder than adult men calling each other, "boys". Even the girls do it!

Anonymous · Answer

Not really. Especially if he’s older than her. Or bigger than her. I tend to call women girls as well. Not as an insult it’s just the term I’m used to saying. Maybe because too having daughters growing I’d say to their mom where are the girls at. Even now that they’re in their 20s I still say the same thing. Like I said I’m just used to using that term a lot. Even women tend to say things like that. Like a girl’s night out. Men say the sam thing, like hanging out w the boys. Boys’ or girls’ road trip. It usually has nothing to do w age. My mom says things like boys when referring to my brothers, even though they’re in their 30s. So no I don’t think there’s anything weird about it.

DizzyDesii · Answer

I've never met women who had a problem with being called girl. If anything they didn't like to be called woman/female/lady/ma’am because it usually was used by someone tryna speak in a smartass tone with some attitude attached. I prefer a guy or girl address me as “girl”.

HawkPerception · Answer

How is that strange? Jesus women get offended at everything. They get offended at ma'am. They get offended at girl. What's next? Woman? Female?

I sometimes refer to even women in their 50s as girls because women tend to like being associated with young and take it as a compliment.

AviatorTom · Answer

Interestingly, males are boys when young and men when older, while females are girls when young, and women when older, but still called girls throughout their lives... girls will be girls, girls' night out, girls ask guys, etc.

EzraIsShy76028 · Answer

I guess it depends on the context.

But I can see where you're coming from. Usually they don't call adult men "boys." Or at least it's not as common as it is with women.

And most grown men would probably be offended about being called boys.

In certain contexts it can make sense though. Like girlfriend or boyfriend. Womanfriend or manfriend would probably sound weird.

Overall, I can kind of see both sides of the argument.

Drewtate · Answer

Women always prefer to think of themselves as younger. Calling a 35 year old woman mam or referring to her as middle aged I seen as an insult by most 30 year old women especially really immature ones which all too common these days with women in their 30s.

Telekinetic-Potato · Answer

I don't know people said that to me on here a long time ago and then one person said it irl and I was like whatever.

So I try to say woman instead of girls. Even though I don't really get it, some ladies seem to think it's patronizing or something.

DeeDeeDeVour · Answer

When my hubby goes out with the 'guys', it's not surprising for me to ask "what are you 'boys' up to?"

He sometimes does that same to me and the 'girls' whenever we're together.

None of us find that creepy or weird at all.

D_Bone_Steak · Answer

It's just an expression of gender. Would you prefer me to call them bitches like rap music does? You complaining about being called a girl doesn't hold weight when you let rappers call you all bitches and hoes. Is it just not creepy and weird to be a bitch ass hoe? Just asking for a friend.

TheSpaceGnome · Answer

No, thats normal.

When an adult man is in a relationship with an adult woman, and they aren't married yet, he doesn't call her his "womanfriend" he calls her his girlfriend.

Girl is the opposite to guy (hence the name of this website). "Girl" does not denote age in the same way that "Guy" does not denote age.

genericname85 · Answer

no it's not. because it's common knowledge that men prefer younger girls and girls like to be seen as younger. so you call women "girls" for the same reason you don't ask a womans age. it's just common curtesy and complimenting behavior. it has nothing to do with the "immaturity" one associates with the word girl. just with the attractiveness of young women for men.

thearchjoker · Answer

They call adult men boys too. "You boys ready?" "Me n the bois" "Oh boy what is is he doing."

RavVid · Answer

In my locale you'd be careful about calling a woman a woman. They'll take offense.

WhitneySnow · Answer

No. A lot of twenty something women still think of themselves as girls. That being said, if I was 35 I don’t think I’d want some random guy calling me a girl. It would feel disrespectful.

BobbieBoy666 · Answer

It's turn on There's men who like being call boys 💕😇 I'm a girl trapped in a boy's body. 💯 Inside I'm a woman and on the outside I'm a man. 💯

Datboi65 · Answer

Huh? I call my friends "the boys" all the time and we're all in our 20s. I think getting offended about this stuff just means you have nothing better to do. Go touch some grass.

TheLovelyIntrovert · Answer

I'm 35 and call any female 20 and younger girl. My oldest will be 18 in October so they are kids to me.

jshm2 · Answer

Your opinion is creepy, then. As a woman is technically a "girl," but just not a young one.

GoodGuyBreakingBad · Answer

I heard an 80 some year old man call these Ladies his age girls. So ask yourself when does one stop called a woman a girl?

Anonymous · Answer

I heard women call guys "boys" and it wasn't at all creepy to me, though unless I am flirting and probing the waters with someone in a similar flirty state, I try to avoid the word. It's all about context.

Elliegirl · Answer

It doesn’t bother me. My friends and I refer to ourselves as girls all the time, so I don’t find it weird.

Keyboardkat · Answer

Ladies of a certain age: "I went to play cawds with the "gulls" last week."

Daniela1982 · Answer

It's even weirder when girls call each other guys. "Guys, what are we going to do today?"

ChiTown33 · Answer

Nope. But maybe that's because I'm not putting as much thought into this as you. Intent is everything. And just calling a woman a girl is just acknowledging that she's female to me.

JSkye · Answer

I don't really find it odd? Seems fairly natural to me 🤷🏻‍♀️

Fireguy17 · Answer

Who knows what to call women anymore. the rules change faster than I can keep up. I always seem to be wrong.

RingOfFire · Answer

Not weird at all. When you get to be that age you'll understand why women want to be called a girl.

Yannae · Answer

No, it's so commonly used. Girls/Boys when they're adults. It never crossed my mind as something strange.

kellytheman · Answer

Yeah your right you should call a adult females women but I think they call women girls because it’s easier to say..

Itsmeirem · Answer

That's a good question. It seems unusual to me as I'm not a native speaker, but I thought it may be cultural thing. I'm glad to see natives opinions.

TheWombRaider · Answer

No what's weird is calling Someone with an XY chromosome that's clearly retarded and wants to be called a female or she and someone that's born with XX chromosome wants to be called he.

beefcakebradybatson · Answer

I'm 71 and call my sixtyish and seventyish buds "the boys," am called "Golden Boy" and "Cowboy" and am a #foreverblackboyjoy practitioner.

AmeerX · Answer

It's not creepy or weird. I call a 47 year old and 42 year old woman girls whenever I like. It's not about the age I think.  I am 31 😂

Unit1 · Answer

I was told to call women girls as the term woman can be interpreted by them as old ladies.

Anonymous · Answer

Not really. People call adult men boys all the time. Boys night out, let's go boys, etc., etc. You know who cares about that? No one sane. Same with women being called girls.

suckmytitties · Answer

Not weird but definitely wrong. I feel particular about this as well.

sobg1124 · Answer

Anyone younger than I am I refer to as a "girl". It's not a derogatory term but rather an endearing one. And no woman has ever taken offense to that.

Falcon12345 · Answer

Never really thought about it there are boys and girls night outs and cowboys and cowgirls but my opinion is I have no opinion and let it be delt with by those who think strongly about it

Vegasrunner · Answer

I mean judging by the immaturity of those question, it's appropriate.

Iron_Man · Answer

No, I call anybody at any age girls even my animals if there female

LiamJHayden · Answer

I do not see it. Girls' Night Out. Boy's Night Out.

zagor · Answer

But it isn't when 50 year old men have Boys' Night Out?

dudegreat91 · Answer

Yeah I even call women above nineteen as women

MrCharlie13 · Answer

Considering they sometimes act as childs even in their 50s, no problem with it

elaphe · Answer

Women my age and younger are "girls," Woman my mom's age are "women."

LunarEclipse433 · Answer

Depends on their intent. Some folks don't realize what they are saying.

Anonymous · Answer

Ah yes a language policing Karen nice.. At least he didn't call her a bitch.

Anonymous · Answer

Nope. "Girls" is just easier to say. Get better problems.

MyBrainsInsaneReign · Answer

Irony Award for asking this question on a site called Girls Ask Guys.

eagle1951 · Answer

how old was the man, to us older men y'all are girls

Isn't it weird when people call adult women girls?

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What Girls & Guys Said

I heard an 80 some year old man call these Ladies his age girls. So ask yourself when does one stop called a woman a girl?

Why do people call females who are already grown up “girls” when they are already a young “woman”?

Isn't it weird when people call adult women girls?

Most Helpful Opinions

Most Helpful Opinions

What Girls & Guys Said

I heard an 80 some year old man call these Ladies his age girls. So ask yourself when does one stop called a woman a girl?

Why do people call females who are already grown up “girls” when they are already a young “woman”?

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