Why Calling Women 'Girls' Is A Bigger Deal Than You May Think

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Forbes

Publisher

Forbes, Inc.

Publication Date

8-9-2021

Abstract

It is seldom that we hear a man referred to as a “boy,” but women of all ages continue to be called “girls” by many people in workplace settings. In the past few years, there have been a number of articles written about this issue. For example, The Washington Post published, “I’m a manager, but to my boss and colleagues, I’m a ‘girl.’” ABC News published, “7 Words You Should Avoid Using About Women in the Workplace,” with a discussion about the use of “girl.” This article referred to it as being “girled at work,” which relates to — intentionally or unintentionally — belittling, demeaning or excluding women through sexist language. Experts in that piece noted that calling a woman “girl” is about treating someone like a child or making them feel somehow less mature than others.

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