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From: carlc@tektronix.UUCP (Carl Clawson)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: beyond honorifics
Message-ID: <4887@tektronix.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 25-Jan-85 11:33:24 EST
Article-I.D.: tektroni.4887
Posted: Fri Jan 25 11:33:24 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 28-Jan-85 07:42:23 EST
Reply-To: carlc@tektronix.UUCP (Carl Clawson)
Distribution: na
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 24


Let's have some suggestions about *informal* modes of address.
I don't worry too much about Mr./Mrs./Ms. etc. and I don't
give a she/he/it about pronouns.  What I'd like to know is this:
What's a politically acceptable *informal* noun referring to a female?

For example:  I'd never say something about "The man who came to fix
the Xerox machine."  It would be "The guy ..." or "The fella ...".
(Or, for '60's throwbacks, "The dude ...")

Problem:  There aren't any corresponding words for females, except
"gal" corresponding to "guy", but since this seems to be derived from
"girl" it is probably offensive.  And, yes, dude <=> chick but I don't
talk about dudes anyway.

So how about it, <women>?  What's your favorite informal word for female?
Or are *all* informal words considered offensive by the more sensitive among
you?

(I was once scolded for referring to a 12-year-old as a "girl."
Of course, that was in Berkeley!)

Carl
tektronix!carlc