Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2.fluke 9/24/84; site vax1.fluke.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!fluke!tron
From: tron@fluke.UUCP (Peter Barbee)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Girls
Message-ID: <948@vax1.fluke.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 26-Mar-85 16:30:59 EST
Article-I.D.: vax1.948
Posted: Tue Mar 26 16:30:59 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 28-Mar-85 00:02:57 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA
Lines: 32

I *think* I have a solution, (at least partial) to the problem of males calling
females girls.

Theorem:  Real (|-)) men refer to females older than about 18 as women.

Corollary: Some males may be old enough chronologically to be men but prove
they are not by refering to their female peers as girls.  This is their own
reward.


Please note this theorem nicely covers the situation often seen on the net
where males say "I call females I see socially girls", by the corollary they
are simply not yet men themselves.  It does not cover the situation where
your boss refers to his secretray as "my girl" - that man is a jerk.

As I write this I think of the analogy of smokers, how rude they can be by
lighting up in the wrong place.  After a long discussion with my parents
I have changed some of my beliefs.  Both of my parents have smoked for nearly
30 years, it has always been acceptable for them to light up.  Now people are
telling them "No, you can't smoke here, no, not here either".  Well they are
nice reasonable people and try not to annoy others but I think that they have
a valid point in that we are changing the rules and can't always expect that
everyone else wants to change the rules.  We talked about "the old days" when
you went to a dinner party there would be an ashtray for every couple of seats,
but now a lot of their friends don't smoke - so what happens?  Most of these
friends are aware enough to know that to forbid smoking will insure that some
guests won't come, a standard practice has arisen that allows the smokers one
after dinner cig.  Now everyone is happy.

We need compromises like this throughout life.

Peter Barbee