Sir and/or Mam...

Northland · 07-04-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austin Blue

People are people - gender is stupid anyway.

I hadn't thought of it as stupid-however you did reach into my mental thought connective tissues: Male/Female Labeling I still tend to see it as discriminatory, which, when I think about it, is stupidity at its ultimate low. As soon as a tag-whether it be gender or race-is attached, elements of seperation move in.

Mr. Snakey · 07-04-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mem

Yesterday I saw a person and did not know if it was male or female. I feel bad for service employees that are told to say "sir" or "mam" to a customer.

Once on Mad About You they had a funny episode where the main character gave his seat on the bus to a pregnant lady. That's what he thought, but it was actually a man,

This has happened to me more than a few times over the years. Thinking the person was a man and they were a woman. A honest mistake.

hootie · 07-04-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by TattooedMamaMeg

When I worked in the service industry, I always used "sir" and "ma'am" unless I wasn't sure about the sex of the person... in which case I refrained from using anything gender-specific, and was just extra polite to them instead so they'd forget about the lack of a proper title.

Very wise there Meg.

hootie · 07-04-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by ManlyBanisters

I think you might mean third person neuter, no?

Please refrain from using the term neuter on a site full of men. haha

hootie · 07-04-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Snakey

This has happened to me more than a few times over the years. Thinking the person was a man and they were a woman. A honest mistake.

Maybe it was because they had a big bulge.

TattooedMamaMeg · 07-04-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viking_UK

I've occasionally been mistaken for a woman, which I find a bit strange, given that I'm 6'2" with stubble, but I suppose a lot of people see long blond hair and make assumptions.

I know how you feel... my boyfriend just arrived in the states last night... and twice while at the Newark, New Jersey airport, he was confused for a woman. He's built like a guy... was wearing guy clothes... and had a days worth of stubble... but he has this GORGEOUS long brown hair that's shiny and silky-smooth.

He was pretty upset by it, I told him they were probably just a bit ignorant.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hootie

Please refrain from using the term neuter on a site full of men. haha

I was thinking the same thing!

Sir and/or Mam...

Originally Posted by Austin Blue People are people - gender is stupid anyway. I hadn't thought of it as stupid-however you did reach into my mental thought connective tissues: Male/Female Labeling I still tend to