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For me it used to be a holdover from military service.
No idea why but everyone on base used “male/female” instead of men/women.
I can only think of a Ferengi from star trek whenever I hear “female” and when my spouse and I hear it I always look at them and do that hand thing where they tap their fingers together.
Male/female is only weird if you make it weird. Female is easier to type and say than “women/girls”. People have imposed this interesting dynamic about how men look at women or talk about women (and girl childs) that sometimes female might be the best word in some context. It’s not some obscure word, it’s commonly understood. Just let it go and don’t feed into the weirdness.
Unless you are also using males don’t use the word females (and vice versa). That is what I would recommend to not seem too disrespectful, even then be careful to avoid being dehumanizing.
I personally tend to use variations of (fe)male identifying people. But I rarely talk about people of the same gender at all ages. That seems like something that isn’t that common though. If that is your justification for using the words females/males just be sure not to use it in other contexts.
It’s pretty simple. Male/female are adjectives and man/woman are nouns. Referring to a person as an adjective that describes them is generally not a great look because it reduces the person to that one characteristic about them.
[Correct] Women who go shopping are female shoppers.
[Incorrect] Females who go shopping are woman shoppers.
It can be an honest mistake, but it’s used deliberately enough to warrant the side-eye, especially when people stand up to defend it. Some people do get a little weird about ANY usage of the word female, correct or not, but this is not one of those scenarios.
To add to that, they are adjectives that can strip away someone’s humanity. Animals are described as male and female, for example “that’s a female rat”. While humans can be described with noun adjuncts like “they are a human woman”.
Imo female and male should only really be utilized in a medical or scientific description.
Just kind of pointing out that the propagation of ideas that look down on people for using inoffensive words doesn’t really help anything. I’m not perfect and would never claim to be, but male and female are words that have been around and used my entire life inoffensively. I occasionally use the word female and I even feel weird about it afterwards because of this strange association, and then I feel mildly annoyed that I even think about it. For what it’s worth, I will even occasionally use the word male to describe a male
I definitely get the pointing out of using the word female to describe women by misogynists and incels, but I wouldn’t have even thought of the word being used in that manner when I read this post which is why I even commented on it in the first place.
ideas that look down on people for using inoffensive words doesn’t really help anything.
I think the point is that you as an individual do not get to decide what is and isn’t an offensive word. No word is inherently offensive, it’s the historical and social context that creates the negativity.
but male and female are words that have been around and used my entire life inoffensively
Have ever talked to a person older than 65 about the N word, because I’ve heard people make the same exact claim.
I even feel weird about it afterwards because of this strange association, and then I feel mildly annoyed that I even think about it.
Wow… You are so close to emotionally evolving into a better more empathetic person.
but I wouldn’t have even thought of the word being used in that manner when I read this post which is why I even commented on it in the first place.
Because you haven’t ever been objectified and demeaned because of your gender. That is the privilege of being a dude, we are not inherently judged as lesser than solely for our reproductive organs. If it had happened to you a bunch in the past you might be a little more sensitive to it.
Massive side-eye for anyone referring to women/girls as “females”…
“Men’s bathrooms”
“Female toilets”
None of your business. If a toilet identifies as female, it’s a female toilet, end of story.
For me it used to be a holdover from military service.
No idea why but everyone on base used “male/female” instead of men/women.
I can only think of a Ferengi from star trek whenever I hear “female” and when my spouse and I hear it I always look at them and do that hand thing where they tap their fingers together.
Male/female is only weird if you make it weird. Female is easier to type and say than “women/girls”. People have imposed this interesting dynamic about how men look at women or talk about women (and girl childs) that sometimes female might be the best word in some context. It’s not some obscure word, it’s commonly understood. Just let it go and don’t feed into the weirdness.
Unless you are also using males don’t use the word females (and vice versa). That is what I would recommend to not seem too disrespectful, even then be careful to avoid being dehumanizing.
I personally tend to use variations of (fe)male identifying people. But I rarely talk about people of the same gender at all ages. That seems like something that isn’t that common though. If that is your justification for using the words females/males just be sure not to use it in other contexts.
If all the nice people are saying women and all the disgusting people are saying females, that makes it easy for me to choose what to say.
It’s pretty simple. Male/female are adjectives and man/woman are nouns. Referring to a person as an adjective that describes them is generally not a great look because it reduces the person to that one characteristic about them.
[Correct] Women who go shopping are female shoppers.
[Incorrect] Females who go shopping are woman shoppers.
It can be an honest mistake, but it’s used deliberately enough to warrant the side-eye, especially when people stand up to defend it. Some people do get a little weird about ANY usage of the word female, correct or not, but this is not one of those scenarios.
To add to that, they are adjectives that can strip away someone’s humanity. Animals are described as male and female, for example “that’s a female rat”. While humans can be described with noun adjuncts like “they are a human woman”.
Imo female and male should only really be utilized in a medical or scientific description.
Hope no one ever slips up and calls you a homosaipan.
And how would that dehumanize me?
Side eying you now
I don’t care I guess? I know what I’m about.
Just kind of pointing out that the propagation of ideas that look down on people for using inoffensive words doesn’t really help anything. I’m not perfect and would never claim to be, but male and female are words that have been around and used my entire life inoffensively. I occasionally use the word female and I even feel weird about it afterwards because of this strange association, and then I feel mildly annoyed that I even think about it. For what it’s worth, I will even occasionally use the word male to describe a male
I definitely get the pointing out of using the word female to describe women by misogynists and incels, but I wouldn’t have even thought of the word being used in that manner when I read this post which is why I even commented on it in the first place.
I think the point is that you as an individual do not get to decide what is and isn’t an offensive word. No word is inherently offensive, it’s the historical and social context that creates the negativity.
Have ever talked to a person older than 65 about the N word, because I’ve heard people make the same exact claim.
Wow… You are so close to emotionally evolving into a better more empathetic person.
Because you haven’t ever been objectified and demeaned because of your gender. That is the privilege of being a dude, we are not inherently judged as lesser than solely for our reproductive organs. If it had happened to you a bunch in the past you might be a little more sensitive to it.