Guys: Are You Insulting A Woman When You Call Her Miss?

[Tayken]

No.

 

If I find myself in a region where calling a woman "miss" is inappropriate I'll switch over to whatever is.

 

 

That will be a wise thing to do...as the saying goes "whilst in Rome...and all that". When in the US, I speak "American" cos I don't to have to be repeating myself

 

The US and the place I come from, are two places separated by a common language.

[Phoe]

How about "hey you".

 

Hahaha, oh man, the last guy to call me "hey you" got a response he definitely was not expecting. He knows better now.

 

Nothing wrong with miss, pretty safe bet out of anything else that may have been mentioned.

 

Definitely do not call me sweetheart or princess or cupcake or anything similarly stupid.

 

Best bet, is if you know my name, call me by my name. Easy.

[Mr Scorpio]

Best bet, is if you know my name, call me by my name. Easy.

 

 

Alright, but I'm going to be upset if I end up with a bowl of Vietnamese soup. Wait. No. No. That stuff is pretty damn good. Ok. Nevermind.

[Phoe]

Alright, but I'm going to be upset if I end up with a bowl of Vietnamese soup. Wait. No. No. That stuff is pretty damn good. Ok. Nevermind.

 

Now I want pho!

[LoveIsABattlefield36]

I definitely am not insulting a woman when calling her Miss!

 

And I do it OFTEN.

 

I grew up working in customer service since I was 14 to about 22-- Before I got my degree/career and moved on.

 

I called everyone sir, miss/ma'am, etc.

 

So now I do so in my daily conversations. Very regularly. Friends/co-workers/people on the street/everyone. Hell, I often use Ms.herlastname when I am talking to my girlfriend. She finds it cute (or so she tells me). When we are talking about/with her friends, I also call them Ms.theirLastname (if I know it). It is polite.

 

I never had a man get upset at me for being called sir. Not a friend, not a colleague, not anyone. But I did have two few females who did. I never understood why. Especially considering they were ladies my own age. Even when I called them Ms.theirlastname.

 

Thank You!

 

No, didn't get the sense it was being said in a condescending or disrespectful way. Just that up until about a month ago, he would only say my first name but in recent weeks, he's started putting the "miss" before it. *shrugs*

[LoveIsABattlefield36]

Whatever polite term someone chooses to address me is fine .. I'm from the south so often use sir or m'am. Miss is totally fine with me.

 

I notice a new ( ?) trend of men using the term " boss " to address other men. Example; " Hey boss is there anything you need help with " I don't know where that came from.

 

"Boss"? That's a new one for me. Where I'm from, they usually address one another as "Brotha".

[TheNextLawyer]

Hahaha, oh man, the last guy to call me "hey you" got a response he definitely was not expecting. He knows better now.

 

Nothing wrong with miss, pretty safe bet out of anything else that may have been mentioned.

 

Definitely do not call me sweetheart or princess or cupcake or anything similarly stupid.

 

Best bet, is if you know my name, call me by my name. Easy.

 

Lol, you sure look like you can chew people up and spit them out. I would never stop using a form of address altogether, although I would respect a person's (rather rigid) boundaries.

 

Sweetheart can be pulled off by a han solo type of guy and its almost winningly cringeworthy for some reason. Princess was the favored name for a guy's missus at university, when they were apart anyway. When they weren't I had to block out their love noise as I kind of got on homework the next room down in halls.

 

Cupcake is pretty childish... but making them isn't, so I again can't see the stupidity quotient you throw down there.

[LoveIsABattlefield36]

No.

 

I was at the gym and a girl headed to the locker room dropped her car keys and didn't know it. She was a good 30 feet ahead of me and by the time I stopped and picked up the keys she was further away. I didn't know her name. So I called out "Miss!" To get her attention. I didn't have time to really think about proper address as she was moments away from walking into the ladies locker room. I just didn't want her to lose her keys.

 

If she was older I probably would've said "ma'am".

 

Which can be offensive, apparently - I have heard women complain in a professional environment when a younger guy called them "ma'am". It makes them feel old I guess. I don't care if a younger girl calls me "sir". She better show that respeck LOL.

 

 

That was kind of you to do that.

 

Now that I think of it, I hear most people say miss/ma'am/sir when in a situation like yours. Just a way to exercise common courtesy.

[BlueIris]

Where I live it is fairly common for men and women to call a woman "Miss". Like "Miss Daisy".

 

"Hey Miss Susan, how is your new grandbaby?" It's a term of endearment more than anything. In my previous example it's just a way to address someone when you don't know them.

 

I try not to swear in mixed company or use blue humor or whatnot. Other than that I don't really keep up on politically correct terminology. I've never had any problems.

 

I’m used to what Stan Musial described and quite like it. “Miss Daisy is going to take you to the pool.”

 

What I do find odd or offensive or dumb or something is when someone calls me “young lady.” No, I’m 54. Am I supposed to blush or titter or something? I’m on my way to crone, quite happily, but on the way nonetheless. “Young” lady? Too weird. And sadly, "Your Grace" never caught on.

 

"Miss" is fine. Nice.

[CaliGypsy]

My 82 year old coworker can pull off either cupcake or cookie no problem. Of course he's always sharing baked goods with me so the nicknames came about naturally .

 

I dislike strangers using those sorts of endearments. They normally come off kind of sleazy.

[Phoe]

My 82 year old coworker can pull off either cupcake or cookie no problem. Of course he's always sharing baked goods with me so the nicknames came about naturally .

 

I dislike strangers using those sorts of endearments. They normally come off kind of sleazy.

 

Exactly, strangers or someone I barely know using "cutesy" pet names is just plain sleazy. Ew.

 

I've gotten miss lady before, that ones okay.

[LoveIsABattlefield36]

I think it is more generic then that. Like something that a car dealer might say to a potential customer, or the modern equivalent of people in the 30's/40's calling everyone "Mac" or "kid".

 

But to the OP, no, I'm not insulting a woman when I call her miss. "Excuse me, miss?" is meant to be respectful. "Hey Toots! Hey! Yeah, you! The broad with the giant knockers!" is meant to be insulting.

 

Thanks Mr. Scorpio!

 

I didn't think he was being disrespectful but some gals I talked with about this felt otherwise so I wanted some more opinions.

 

Side note: that reminds me to start a thread on the ever complex mental workings of you Scorpio dudes...what the hell is it about you/what you do that you successfully manage to drive every woman you come into contact with feking nuts???

[LoveIsABattlefield36]

Where I live it is fairly common for men and women to call a woman "Miss". Like "Miss Daisy".

 

"Hey Miss Susan, how is your new grandbaby?" It's a term of endearment more than anything. In my previous example it's just a way to address someone when you don't know them.

 

I try not to swear in mixed company or use blue humor or whatnot. Other than that I don't really keep up on politically correct terminology. I've never had any problems.

 

Hi Stan,

 

Is this the South?

[LoveIsABattlefield36]

It ultimately depends on context and the person's tone, but in most cases, no I don't think calling a woman "miss" will make her feel insulted. However, it may make her feel a bit weird or uncomfortable if you address her like that in a situation where another title would be more appropriate (even if you two are strangers). Same goes for the word "ma'am" (and also "sir" for guys). I made the mistake years ago calling a young woman "ma'am" in an ill-advised context and it created a very awkward moment.

 

Knowing what titles to use and when to use them is part of basic social skills and being able to "read" people and situations. It also helps to be aware of cultural norms where you live and generational shifts.

 

 

No, it didn't come across as condescending or anything like that. It actually felt like he said it to be respectful.

[LoveIsABattlefield36]

You are obviously not from the south, or over thinking things. It's just a term, but hey isn't being called a Bitch a positive thing as much as not depending on the situation ? It all depends on who's speaking the word, not the word itself.

 

I overanalyze everything! No, not from South....Big Apple!

[LoveIsABattlefield36]

Hahaha, oh man, the last guy to call me "hey you" got a response he definitely was not expecting. He knows better now.

 

Nothing wrong with miss, pretty safe bet out of anything else that may have been mentioned.

 

Definitely do not call me sweetheart or princess or cupcake or anything similarly stupid.

 

Best bet, is if you know my name, call me by my name. Easy.

 

Lol! I like you!

 

You look like the perfect tough chick who can kick a guy's as.s! Haha! My kinda gal!

[TheNextLawyer]

^ Indeed she does.. whereas I find tough rather masculine and almost scarier than some pro boxer. OK, maybe I exaggerate.

 

Well, so far I haven't provoked a reaction... Thanks for the like, 'Battlefield', at least I kind of have a leg to stand on.

[Tayken]

Hahaha, oh man, the last guy to call me "hey you" got a response he definitely was not expecting. He knows better now.

 

Nothing wrong with miss, pretty safe bet out of anything else that may have been mentioned.

 

Definitely do not call me sweetheart or princess or cupcake or anything similarly stupid.

 

Best bet, is if you know my name, call me by my name. Easy.

 

Oh for PHO sake.....sweetheart

[StanMusial]

Exactly, strangers or someone I barely know using "cutesy" pet names is just plain sleazy. Ew.

 

I've gotten miss lady before, that ones okay.

 

 

Hi Stan,

 

Is this the South?

 

Yes.

[LoveIsABattlefield36]

My 82 year old coworker can pull off either cupcake or cookie no problem. Of course he's always sharing baked goods with me so the nicknames came about naturally .

 

I dislike strangers using those sorts of endearments. They normally come off kind of sleazy.

 

I like those! I also like being called sugar and sweetheart...by older folk, that is.