A question for the broads: Do you find 'broad' offensive?

In My Humble Opinion
41

It’s interesting that Happy Lendervedder mentioned Sinatra, because Frank sometimes used it to mean “hooker.” There was a gossip columnist who had flamed him in print, and he happened to see her at a party. He reportedly walked over, stuffed two dollar bills in her drink, called her “nothing but a two-dollar broad,” and left the party.

I never use it that way myself. I picture a broad as somebody you’d call fiesty, tough, or crafty. I sometimes call female friends Doll, but it’s a little too personal for a stranger. I think of Dame as being short for “classy dame” or “brassy dame,” so I don’t use it for a woman who’s neither classy nor brassy.

42

Mom?

43

I’m not usually the sort to get up in arms over terminology, but the term “broad” bothers me for some reason. Hubby used to use it quite a bit, when we first started dating. After I let him know it bothered me, he stopped using it in my presence, and AFAIK, now doesn’t use it at all. But I will say, even though I don’t care for the word, I wouldn’t ask a casual acquaintance not to use it. What I mean is, it doesn’t bother me as much as some other derogatory terms would, as I would definitely ask even a casual acquaintance to refrain from using, say, the “n” word around me.

44

norinew?

45

Broad - Antiquated, yes/offesive, no

Girl - Offensive right out no matter what (unless it’s my mom referring to me and my contemporaries)

Chick - Offensive (unless it’s Mr. Bugnorton and we’re having a rather frisky time)

Woman - Okay, generic

Lady(ies) - Almost always preferred (except in context of “look lady…”)

Ms. Bugnorton - Almost always perfect

Bug - we know each other and are on the same playing field (socially or professionally)

Hon, Sweetie, Darlin’, Cookie, Pumpkin, etc. - Totally unacceptable under any circumstances

Rarely have I been able to categorize things so neatly…

46

TeaElle It’s probably because I stay up to insane hours of the night. I really need to start sleeping een vaguely normally[/hijack]

47

20-year old female here

I’m going to steal Bugnorton’s list, 'cause I’m lazy… my answers will be bolded
Broad - Antiquated, yes/offesive, no I think it’s neat, and use it all the time, but never to someone’s face, but more as a general term "So this broad says to me…"

Girl - Offensive right out no matter what (unless it’s my mom referring to me and my contemporaries) ok between equals (friends of the same age), or used towards a female under about 13 in any situation (but never “Hey, girl…” in a rude way), or used by an older acquaintance or family member

Chick - Offensive (unless it’s Mr. Bugnorton and we’re having a rather frisky time) see “broad”, for both, never in a business or formal setting or with people I don’t know

Woman - Okay, generic ditto, but the fact that it is two syllables makes it so awkward to work into conversation sometimes

Lady(ies) - Almost always preferred (except in context of “look lady…”)** Appropriate, given respectful tone of voice and context, but it always feels out of place to me except when addressing a large group, or a pair of much older women (older than myself, of course)**

Ms. Bugnorton - Almost always perfect** make mine Ms. Finette, but since I am so young, it feels odd outside of business/academic/otherwise formal settings. I suppose I feel uncomfortable being given the honorific by an older person/one of higher status, see “lady”**

Bug - we know each other and are on the same playing field (socially or professionally)** ditto, except I guess I’m the 'Nette!**

Hon, Sweetie, Darlin’, Cookie, Pumpkin, etc. - Totally unacceptable under any circumstances ditto, but with the exception of “toots” which is a mutual term of endearment between the SO and myself (also pulled from Sinatra, interestingly enough), and my mother, who calls me Sweety, and the SO’s mother, who calls everyone "dear"

Rarely have I been able to categorize things so neatly…

ditto once again, and thanks! I think it all comes down to context and the relationship between the speaker and listener, but that applies to most spoken terms, I suppose…

48

I’m surprised that “girl” is seen as so offensive, probably because my twenty-seven year old girlfriend seems to prefer it over “woman” or “lady”. (I think she’s afraid of growing up. Heh. Explains why she’s with a fellow over five years younger than she!) In fact, I’ve taken just to calling her “girl” sometimes as a term of affection, and I almost always refer to a woman under thirty as “girl”.

That said, I’d never call anybody I didn’t know that. I use the term “chick” a lot, too, but I don’t think I should ever call someone “chick” to her face. I do use the phrase “young lady” sometimes to refer to women under middle aged, but again, not to their faces - more like “thank you, but I’ve been helped already by the young lady over there”. Am I a terrible, evil sexist?

(Peers made fun of me in high school because I would say “yes ma’am” or “yes sir” to those of my own age. Is “ma’am” off limits?)

49

Well, I’m 26, and “girl(s)” still feels more natural as a point of self-reference or reference to people in my age-group than “woman/women,” and I’ve yet to hear any objections; most of them still use girl/girls as well. <shrugs> Perhaps we’re immature :stuck_out_tongue:

50

Not fond of it, although I wouldn’t invest the energy to bother with being offended. I’d probably just ignore the speaker.

51

I’m 24, and I’d much rather be referred to as a girl than a lady. How about Ma’am vs. Miss? Really, I don’t like either of them, as one makes me feel about fify, and the other makes me feel about five. But what is the alternative?

Oh, and as for the OP: I can see the Sinatra-ish appeal of broad, maybe. Certainly, I wouldn’t be horribly offended. And chick is fine - I use it frequently myself. Of course, I also say dude. And I still occasionally refer to things as rad. So really, I just have a horribly dated vocabulary in general.

52

look!ninjas maybe you’d feel differently about being referred to as a “girl” if you were about fifty (yes it happens here in beautiful ole SC). I find myself using Ma’am and Sir as a personal expression of passive aggresion in these parts (as in when someone is in the power spot and is being a complete a-hole just because they can be).

53

How are you Love?

54

It depends on who’s saying it. Some guys that hate women will use it and I just want to sock them in the chops. But I refer to myself as an old broad all the time.

55

Don’t call me a broad.

You may call me food.

56

“I don’t know how many times I’ve told those boys, ‘never call chicks broads.’”

57

When I hear the term “broad” it makes me think of an “older” woman. No I don’t find it offensive.