Ladies, I'm going to sound-off on something that I find most irritating.

I take offense when some barely out of her teens female is referred to as a woman. This statement is usually made pertaining to some flavor of the month music star, model, or film actress. The influence of the visual media has affected the reasoning of the minds of the general public, it seems, for said public is quick to grant so lightly, to untried females, celebrities or not, a title that carries with it such weight of meaning.

A girl, Ladies, an immature, inexperienced girl, may, by virtue of her graduation from her teens, claim the right to the light weight title, young woman, but by no means, has she earned the right to the heavy weight title of full-fledged woman. Why, she hasn't lived enough of life! She hasn't savored enough of the sweet, or suffered enough of the bitter, to warrant such an honor. She has barely begun the journey of emotional, intellectual, and spiritual growth, that leads to the right to bear the title.

I was thirty the first time I thought of myself as a woman. I realized at the age of fifty, bestowing that title upon myself at that age was an audacious act. At thirty I may have had some small inkling of what it means to be a woman, but I was far from having attained the real status that accompanies the position. Finally, now at the age of fifty-four, I may state, 'I am a woman' with more soul felt certainty, and firm belief in my right to do so, than ever before in my life.

WE are women, Ladies. WE have earned the right to the title.

http://www.intouchwithjeannine.com

Here here Jeannine!

amen!

I'm with you, Jeannine!

With each passing year I am happy to claim my womanhood with more certainty. And I intend to do so with the years to come.

How do you feel about the term young woman?

I am in full agreement. (Same goes for men, tho' - I really don't consider most 25 year young men, a man).

But how 'bout this? Lately, a few cashiers, namely younger men, have addressed me as "young lady". I am sure they do this in order to deflect the obvious, and also to obtain my goodwill toward their establishment. Worked just the opposite with me. Feeling that I have earned every gray hair on my head, I think I would prefer "Ma'am" to young lady...

Searcher

How about being called honey. Does that bother anyone but me??? It is like scratching ones nails accross the board in my mind! eeek. There is a guy in my networking group who calls me that. I know he doesn't mean anything. I'm going to ask him not to. It just irrates me like mad!

The only person I want calling me honey is MY honey!

A young woman at McDonalds (I was getting grub for the kiddos) called me "dear". She was all of 17. ughhhhh!

danita

This past week, I was stopped for speeding. I was apologizing to the policeman and frantically looking for the insurance card. He smiled and said, "That's okay "Honey," I'll just give you a warning. Now you just be careful, you hear?"

I was thankful to be called honey. it was sort of sweet.

"Honey" is a term of endearment around these parts and it is not restricted to mates. I just love southern men.

smile

The thing about being called 'honey' is funny. One time I went with my daughter to pick up food. We decided to see how long it would take before someone called me 'honey.' Sure enough, the gal in the drivethrough, who was younger than my daughter, said, "Here you go, Hon." She probably wondered why my daughter and I started laughing like crazy.

I'm called "honey" or "sweetie" constantly. I'm not sure if it's a regional thing. Might be. I might not be so special. lol! But my daughter thinks it's funny anyway.

As for being a 'woman,' I think I first felt like a woman after I had my first child in my twenties. But now? I'm reverting to being a kid again. No, not really. Just when I write for children.

Searcher, I'm with you. I can't stand those types of comments. I think they're condescending.

I also don't like it when men make flirtatious type comments either. I'm tough!

I call my daughter's friends that come and go in our home, honey. It's a term of endearment. I love them.

I think it depends on who's saying it and what they're intention is.

Donna, the big word in Baltimore that makes everyone laugh is HON!

Howya doin'hon?