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Referring to women as "gal." Thoughts?

vacantseas

vacantseas

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,722
What do people think about referring to women as "gal?"

I have a couple friends, one that is married w/ 4 girls, and he refers to his wife and the kids as "the gals" or "the gals and I." etc etc. I have another friend who just refers to women as gals in general. "I was talking to this gal." or he'll ask how my wife is, "how's your gal doing?"

I get that its similar to slang in that man:guy::female:gal, but it just seems so dated, and slightly demeaning. Something about the word just kind of irks me.
 
entremet

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge
Member
Oct 26, 2017
59,897
You're overthinking the scenario especially since he's taking about his family. These are not work colleagues or strangers.
 
ClickyCal'

ClickyCal'

Member
Oct 25, 2017
59,429
I don't really see an issue. I never say it personally, but more because it sounds corny and not that it's demeaning.
 
Richter1887

Richter1887

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
39,143
I am not a woman so I can't speak for them but I think you are overthinking it. It is just a slang or a dialect.
 
spineduke

spineduke

Moderator
Oct 25, 2017
8,742
i don't use it, but i know some people take issue with calling everyone guy - "ill ask the guys"
 
MIMIC

MIMIC

Member
Dec 18, 2017
8,313
Heh, such an old term. I don't think it's demeaning....just super old. Like referring to your group of friends as the "gang."
 

Deleted member 2802

Community Resetter
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
33,729
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Gakidou

Gakidou

Member
Oct 30, 2017
1,612
pip pip cheerio fish & chips
I like it, but to each their own. It might have a different vibe in different dialects/cultures that sounds more patronising, but to me it sounds fine and casual, like feminine version of 'guy'.

Only things that really make my skin crawl are like "the females/femoids", and anything thats overtly pedestalising or chastising (eg: my better half, angels, the ol' ball and chain) and I gotta admit I have a double standard for standard deragotory language (eg: women can call eachother ho and bitch, men can self-identify as that, but when men use it to flippantly discuss female strangers its UGH)
 
junomars

junomars

Banned
Nov 19, 2018
723
Idk about today but my grandma was specifically triggered by that word. Like even after alzheimer's she would snap if you called her that.
 
Dream Machine

Dream Machine

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,085
It sounds like an old, mom's work friend word, but I don't think it's meant to be demeaning by anybody.

Most words for women are going to get objection by somebody.

Lady, girl, woman, female, gal, chick, gender neutral plural "guys", etc

There's no one right answer because everyone feels differently about all of these words and the context of where, and by whom, they are being used.
 
Dyle

Dyle

One Winged Slayer
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
29,873
It's kind of an odd thing to say but I don't think it's demeaning or diminutive. Where girl is particularly pointed towards children and so can be a little rude when used to refer to grown women, that association doesn't really exist with gal, which is at least supposed to be the female form of the non-age specific guy. I do wonder why it never really caught on.

I guess it's like how one of my coworkers refers to her boyfriend as "my guy" which always sounds weird to me, even though there's nothing wrong with it.
 
KoopaTheCasual

KoopaTheCasual

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,730
Dated, yes. Corny, yes. Demeaning??? I'm no authority on it, but the context would have to be specific for it to be demeaning, imo. Just like it is with the term "boy".
 
junomars

junomars

Banned
Nov 19, 2018
723
KoopaTheCasual said:
Dated, yes. Corny, yes. Demeaning??? I'm no authority on it, but the context would have to be specific for it to be demeaning, imo. Just like it is with the term "boy".
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I don't think its a question for the people of Era. Of course we don't see anything wrong with it but I can say from experience it pissed older women off.
 
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Savinowned

Savinowned

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,256
Nashville, TN
The problem is that I don't feel like there is a great counterpart to "Hanging with the guys tonight" for women. I feel like it's either girls or gals so I usually say gals because I don't want to seem condescending when talking to adult women.
 
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