What do you politely call a grown woman these days?

First time I heard it, it was a grandma telling her grand daughter to" sit up and eat your grits and fatback you little heifer". No animosity whatsoever. I've remembered it all these years because it cracked me up. This was in Charleston SC.

 

Haha, yeah that would catch my attention too. I might could see it among family members like that. I don't think I'd try it with random folks! At least not around here...

 

My boss once offered his seat to a pregnant woman on the London underground, saying "You're pregnant. You need the seat more than me." She wasn't pregnant, just a bit large, and she spent the rest of the journey verbally abusing him. So he got off the train miles from where he wanted to go and walked the rest of way.

 

My first year in college, another student in class asked our professor when her baby was due. The response was "I had my baby a year ago."
Awkward.

 

.

 

If you don't know a woman, call her ma'am. Sir for unknown men. I don't know why anyone tries to make it complicated.

I would even venture to guess that most times no gender is needed for interactions with strangers, just a polite, "Excuse me" when trying to get their attention. Now, in crowded situations using a gender may be useful. And yeah, I'm guilty of using sir or ma'am when I could easily not use a gender at all.

I would not know that someone was trying to talk to me. I certainly am not young so wouldn't even think to respond unless it sounded like it was coming from a guy over 80 (to which almost everyone is young).

 

I don't know why anyone tries to make it complicated either. Whatever you're "born with" should be the deciding factor!

 

At Awana they refer to everyone as Miss and Mr. and first name.
If I'm in line at the grocery, dollar, or convenience store, i will thank them with whatever name is on their name tag. (Same for a server at a restaurant)

Thank yousir, if its a random male, and just excuse me or thank you for a lady that would hold a door for me...(which is rare) i always try to hold a door for anyone close by at a store entrance.

I tend to [not] call ladies miss or ma'am as i imagined it could offend some. Just smile or be friendly, good morning , how you doing today? or have a nice day. Always with a smile or nod.

 

And for the record, when i read the title of the thread, my first thought was, Al Bundy greeting woman at the shoe store.
Lmao.

 

I'm not sure the proper name to use. Maybe instead ask them their weight and/or age..

 

You should probably check what pronoun they want to be addressed by and check if they are non-binary......

..or just say something like ma'am, and forget all that junk

 

In NYC 25 years ago, "funky heifer" was a useful insult for varying situations. Heifer was reserved for one who was clumsy, or ate a lot (even if it didnt show). Never thought of that term being at all endearing.

I agree with the generic when needed, as well as sir and ma'am.
As I put on years though, I am not averse to calling women of college age or younger, 'dear'. ......usually at the register and preceded by thank you. I'll be calling boys of the same age 'young man' soon enough.

A twenty something thought I was mid thirties. I knocked his socks off when I told him I was a good 12 years older than his estimate.

Sca

 

I’m just staying home from now on! I really have no desire to go out in public anymore, very few people are polite and some are outright angry. I’m not going along with folks who think a man can get pregnant and that lady with an Adam’s Apple isn’t fooling anyone, I’ll call him Debbie if that’s what he wants but that’s just to be polite. If you are clearly a white woman I’m not gonna consider you an American Indian. If I have to get 3 jabs, still where a mask and all the rich and famous are getting together to do rich people sh!t with no masks, I’m done with all this bs.
I can stay home on my 22 acres and do whatever I want to with no mask and no women that I gotta worry what I’m calling them. I call my wife Honey most of the time and she’s fine with it! FTW!

 

Dang, we need to change your name to Cranky Jack!!

 

I calls them like I sees them!

 

The world is going the Hell, dam right I’m cranky!

 

Nah...you need to be out there and show them how to be polite. We need good examples out there....obviously we have enough bad influences already.