Young Lady


It feels as though it has been a long, long time since I've felt the need to moo.

But here we are.

I've noticed recently that people are using a particular form of address that rubs me the wrong way.

Waiters, clerks in shops, and strangers on the street have been addressing me as "young lady."

And I don't care for it.

"Young lady" takes me back to childhood, when teachers and parents used the term in a sharp tone as a form of insult.

Besides that, I am not a young lady. I'm no longer what I'd consider middle-aged, but I'm not old either. I think I'm an older lady. Not that I expect anyone to call me that, mind you.

What happened to "ma'am"? Or even "miss"?

Moo.

Oh, and while I'm on this particular form-of-address rant, I'd like to point out that I give waitstaff a more generous tip if they don't call my party "guys."

We're neither guys nor young ladies.



Comments

Barbara Anne said…
Amen!

Here in Virginia and in all points of the South where we've lived, the wait staff usually calls the group "y'all" and that's just fine.

What irks me is when someone uses "y'all" when addressing a single person. "Y'all" is a plural form of address. Moo!

Hugs for you, ma'am!
Yes...!
the phrase that gets to me is ...."the Little Lady".....yaaaaaa!
Lori said…
Hmmmm, haven't heard that one here. I'd probably just tell them straight out it feels very sarcastic.
Janet O. said…
I don't like being called "dearie" or "sweetie" by a cashier I have never seen before in my life. Has happened several times lately.
Or 'hon'. Just ma'm me, please.
I really do not like being addressed as anything other than ma'am unless you know me. "Moo", too!
Millie said…
I'm with you with the "young lady" bit but I have to say that's not common here in NH.
Tired Teacher said…
I'll add "sweetie" to the list. It makes my blood pressure soar!
Anonymous said…
Okay, my big pet peeve is when you say "thank you" to someone, usually a younger person, and they respond "no problem" GRRRRR! What ever happened to You are Welcome? I know it is no problem, sheesh!
Rant over :-)
Kathy B
No Cal
AnnieO said…
I loathe being called guys. What's the matter with "folks" or just plain "you" in a how-is-everything query? So far I haven't heard little lady. Ick
Anonymous said…
The cow photo made me smile. We are cow owners, so they always catch my eye.
I have been called "Hon" many times recently. I think of it as a southern term, but we are definitely not in the south. Hate it.But the one the rankles me the most is my drive-through coffee place which now asks for my name "to go with the order". I have been tempted to give them the name of Henry or Hot Lips just to mess with them. Next time I will just ask them why.
Denise in PA said…
I'm mooing right along with you, Nancy!
Nancy, I never really knew my grandmothers, but my dads oldest sister held that role for me. She lived close to us & we spent a lot of time with her. She was in her late 70's & she would get so mad at this church gentleman who called her young lady! So now that I am getting older, and someone says young lady to me, it sort of makes me mad too. My Aunt Stelle helped mold this thinking!! Moo!!
suz said…
we have someone at my office who calls all the women "young lady" (I'm probably your age) - he thinks he's being charming. I've started calling him "kiddo". I remember being startled the first time I was called ma'm - now it fits. I noticed someone mentioned "little lady" - that's smack worthy in my opinion, unless you're John Wayne!