Dont call me Babe.

Do women really routinely call men ‘babe’? Not in my experience.

They do round my way (Newcastle/Northumberland).

The first, a throwaway friendly term. The second, the emphasis moves, he’s making a point of calling her a babe.

Agreed Cougar Its not babe that is offensive Its punctuation Ill let TJ know 😉

I do Cougar, I do, I said I do mind them too!

I tend to call some of my female customer “sweet cheeks” no complaints yet

BLURGH

I do Cougar, I do, I said I do mind them too!

My bad, I misread.

Maybe it’s just me, maybe it’s me being German

With the greatest respect, you may indeed be a special case here. Different countries come with different cultures and expectations; something that may be considered overly formal here might be considered downright rude in Japan, for instance.

Sometimes people are being over-familiar or inappropriate (or condescending) when they use words like “babe,” but day-to-day it’s usually innocent. I’m not suggesting you have to like it, but perhaps try not to take it too personally?

Cap’n, I really am classy.

That’s not the implication from those business cards you put in phone booths.

That’s not the implication from those business cards you put in phone booths.

Yeah, but they say she’s called “Mistress”, which is clearly a sign of respect 😀

Thanks, Cougar, for accepting that it might not be the same for all. Much nicer discussion to every now and then see someone elses view point!
And as for taking it personal, it annoys me for a moment or two, but I actually have other more important worries in life than ponder on it for too long !! Unless it comes up on some forum … 😉

They do round my way (Newcastle/Northumberland).

I’d be impressed if anyone round there managed to form a complete sentence TBH. 😛

With the greatest respect, you may indeed be a special case here.

Along with almost all the other women who’ve posted here?

Along with almost all the other women who’ve posted here?

Because they’re women? Sexist.

That’s not the implication from those business cards you put in phone booths.

Ooooh nasty nettles. 😯

Because they’re women? Sexist.

Replace the word sexist with sexy and the world is suddenly a better place.

Ooooh nasty nettles.

Sorry, forgot the 😉

As Lionel Richie said, you’re once, twice, three times a lady 🙂

As Lionel Richie said, you’re once, twice, three times a lady

He’s wrong. It was only the once.

Well, so far, I suppose.

Do women really routinely call men ‘babe’? Not in my experience.

they do in the SE london bakery i used to buy sarnies from, every other word was ‘babe’

“yes babe”
“brown or white babe?”
“sauce babe”
“£1.50 babe”
“thanks babe”

i was not offended neither do i think they were partaking in some feminist role reversal standpoint in order to empower themselves and break the shackles of an oppressive patriarchal regime.

you’re once, twice, three times a lady

Are you saying she’s fat?

OUTSIDE, NOW! I shall defend her honour*

* Unless A – She’d rather do it herself, or B – There’s none left to defend. 😈 😉

neither do i think they were partaking in some feminist role reversal standpoint in order to empower themselves and break the shackles of an oppressive patriarchal regime

So naive, bless ‘im.

ok, I did not make my comment on behalf of all woman kind, just on behalf of me. It’s just annoying. I don’t mind general people doing it, its mostly work or in shops etc that bug me the most.

they do in the SE london bakery i used to buy sarnies from, every other word was ‘babe’

“yes babe”
“brown or white babe?”
“sauce babe”
“£1.50 babe”
“thanks babe”

I get the same thing in my local coop, it’s just really, really annoying.

I don’t think I like the undertone on this thread though that all the men are here going ‘oh it’s only three women who find it annoying or don’t like it, they are just being silly’ then one or two women come along and agree with the general consensus of the men and the men are all ‘see, those other women are being stupid, these women agree with us and we are right’. We are all different, it doesn’t necessarily make you right and us wrong or the other way around.

But being called ‘babe’ definitely will continue to boil my pee whoever says it.

Do women really routinely call men ‘babe’? Not in my experience.

They don’t around my way (Newcastle/Northumberland)

It’s hen here or pet but no one seems to offence at it or if southern comes up and calls them babe.

I’ve use Pet or Darling at work, the oldies like Pet they’ll say “Ehhh! You never hear that used much now it’s nice to hear it.” Don’t really use darling pet, hen and certainly not babe with younger patients. It’s possibly a bit more subjective then and yes we’re not really supposed to call people Pet or Darling but come on it helps them relax when they’re scared witless as it’s much less formal than ma’m.

I’ve had old dear object to being called Darling and that was the other week after 22 years of doing this job. She was very posh and lived in South Africa all her life and took offence to it, she asked told very sternly not call her that but to call her by her first name. Strangely she thought it was Ok to tell me, and these are her words “Blackies are very musical people, they love to sing Blackies” I thought I was in Trading Places.

They don’t around my way (Newcastle/Northumberland)

Blimmin north Northumberlanders. It’s all different down in the Tyne Valley y’know 😀

FWIW the cleaner (in Gateshead) just called me “love”.

I had her shot.

(I didn’t really. I just told her “love” was demeaning and she should refer to me as “Sire” or “My Lord” in future)

I believe that the demonisation of terms of endearment was the beginning of the end for western civilisation..

I’ve just been shopping and was quite chuffed that salesperson who was responsible for taking my money darlinged me, it was short lived chuffedness as the person darlinged the next person in the queue too. 😥

Sexist sweeping generalisation alert!

I don’t think I like the undertone on this thread though that all the men are here going…..

😀 8)

I use “what ho chap” rather than the local dialect of eyup me duk or matey

I use “what ho chap” rather than the local dialect of eyup me duk or matey

Sounds like a magazine providing comparative reviews of ladies of the night.

The one term that took me aback a little was being addressed as “my queen” in Merseyside a couple of years ago – actually I quite liked that, much better than “me duck” where I used to live.

Sounds like a magazine providing comparative reviews of ladies of the night.

exactly dear boy, it’s guerilla marketing for the publication I work for, you would not believe how exhaustive some of the consumer reviews are and the associated forum often has a “What rubber for….?” thread 😯

Cahnts.

/essex

The Guardian is hilarious. My favourite ever article was when some ultra try-hard yogurt-weaving oxygen thief wasted 1000 words telling us that those Meercat adverts were racist and that he felt outraged on behalf of his imaginary Eastern European girlfriend.

It’s the Daily Mail of the left.

Fond memories of running a sweepstake at work, based on the number of “mates” uttered in the course of a single burger ordering transaction. We went armed with one of those push button counters hidden in someones pocket. The lady in question didn’t disappoint, and I won. 18 😯 😆

I was once passed by a rider who shouted, “Elite rider passing on your right, sugar tits”

I might use that next time I overtake a woman/girl/bird* at a bike race. Wouldn’t say “elite rider” though, that’d be highly inappropriate.
* choose whichever term you find least offensive.

😉

I tend to call fems “love”. And the other sort “dude”. I imply only kind respect and informality.

Women who use “mate” are even worse than men that use “mate”.

I’d go further than that crikey Dave. From now on EVERYONE, male or female, should be referred to as Dave

There was a Devon rapper who called everyone Dave, it was very funny, although ironically I have now forgotten his name…

That’s the same sort of pompous political correct crap that decreed that the term ‘blackboard’ couldn’t be used and ‘Ba Ba Black Sheep’ couldn’t be sung because they were racist.

…both of which are complete made-up “it’s PC gorn mad! we’re going to hell in a handbasket! up yours Delors! you couldn’t make it up!” bollocks stories.

Do women really routinely call men ‘babe’? Not in my experience.

I feel for you, caramelknackers.

There was a Devon rapper who called everyone Dave, it was very funny, although ironically I have now forgotten his name…

Rodney?