At what age do women get addressed as ma’am?

[Anonymous]

What age do women get addressed as ma’am by society?

[InventorofWarp]

Is there an age requirement?
I'll address women younger than me as "ma'am".
It depends how I'm using it, if you're bossing me around and frustrating me/playing with me/pissing me off then it's condescending and derogatory. If you're a woman I respect and admire and find gorgeous then it's probably sincere. There can be overlap.
Honestly though if I respect and admire a woman that much, I'm less inclined to call her ma'am and more inclined to call her "Queen of X".
Case in point, my close friend is Queen of Feminists. It is partly a derogatory, sarcastic jab but there's also genuine respect and admiration there.
I have another who is Queen of Insults. Again, same thing.
Last one is Queen of Redheads. This one is more lust-based though.

[Goforit1010]

It's not an age thing, it's a respect thing. So if you feel slighted that someone called you "Ma'am" (thinking you were OLD, get over it!

In the US south (especially), addressing ANY female who has supervision over you as "Ma'am" is expected. That means your mother, Aunt, Grandmother, female boss (regardless of age), etc.

In the military, ALL females having a superior rank to ANYONE else (including other females), are addressed as "Ma'am". If a 35yr old Senior NCO is talking to a 22yr old female officer (even a lowly 2nd LT), that LT is addressed as "Ma'am".

That's how people are taught - like it or not. It has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with your age. It's all about showing respect for a woman's position.

[ChrisMaster69]

It’s not an age thing.

it can be a 20 yr old or a 60 yr old

it’s a term of respect

[Snakeyes7]

I think this is something that depends on the age difference between the two people talking where the female being spoken to is clearly older. There is no age as far as I know.

I also say ma'am to women I don't know the name of.

[BCA6010]

I don't think it's set in stone... Probably any time after reaching presumed adulthood.

[cosmicenergy]

At any age over 18-20, as long as they don't look too young

[torken]

I call all women or women-identifying ma'am, but that might be a southern thing.

[KrakenAttackin]

@torken. "Or women identifying"? Fucking hell.

[FinalFantasyBro]

Probably at 18 and up most women get referred to as ma'am, the same is with men 18 and up getting referred to as sir.

[anylolone]

It's not so much age as it's marriage or job position, but age can be a factor alone.

In that case, between 30 and 40.

[jasco]

I usually call anyone who is older than me or in a higher position at work ma'am

[OddBeMe]

According to the experts: grocery store clerks, 15.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

Sometime in their mid 40's. Being called ma'am is no big deal.

[t-8900]

I call any adult woman ma'am.

[DWornock]

At age 16 by grammar school age children.

[KrakenAttackin]

I address all adult women as ma'am.

[msc545]

They really do not anymore.

[doopayo]

18+ I think

[PoliteSpeaker]

18...

[Anonymous]

Anyone that is a woman gets adressed as ma'am.

[Wise4myage]

I say 40 or older.

[Hanmakevi]

28 and up

[Anonymous]

17 and up.