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From: fremont@hplabs.UUCP (Michael J. Fremont)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Names can never hurt me.....
Message-ID: <1833@hplabs.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 9-Sep-83 11:27:25 EDT
Article-I.D.: hplabs.1833
Posted: Fri Sep  9 11:27:25 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 10-Sep-83 21:40:19 EDT
References: <1339@hplabsc.UUCP>, <476@qubix.UUCP>
Organization: Hewlett Packard Labs, Palo Alto CA
Lines: 35

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	"I am using examples from German to illustrate that there is
    such a distinction made in most languages (and thus, a NEED for
    such a distinction).  Why do the words GIRLfriend, and BOYfriend
    exist??  Simply to reinforce the idea in the listeners mind, that
    this is a person that the speaker has an active (sexual) interest in.

	There was no sigma associated with being called a "girl" before
    the feminist movement decided to create one; it was obvious that
    the word had two entirely seprate meanings."...

Steven Maurer
------------------

	I would like to disagree with these points:

1. In my mind, GIRLfriend and BOYfriend DO NOT refer to sexual
interest.  I really doubt that most 13 year olds with boyfriends or
girlfriends are sexually active (obviously, some are).
	Additionally, I have (for instance) a friend that refers to
her best (female) friend as a girlfriend.  This happens not to be a
sexual reference.

2. The feminist movement did not decide to create a stigma about
being called a girl... women found it demeaning (rightfully so).
For one thing, they were tired of always being referred to (and
thought about) in purely sexual terms (Steven's definition of
GIRLfriend, etc.).

	I happen to be a feminist.  I do not agree with all of the
ideas in the feminist movement.  What movement or group did you ever
100% agree with?  All in all, I think the feminist movement has been
extraordinarily successful, and good.

mike