# Ward and....? (Terminology question) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 15, 2003, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ward-and-terminology-question/219147 "2003-12-15T17:04:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ward-and-terminology-question/219147/1 "2003-12-15T17:04:37Z")
All right, if young Philip is my ward (in a legal sense), how am I refered to by him? I am his…? And does it vary if either his gender or my gender is different? ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ward-and-terminology-question/219147/2 "2003-12-15T17:06:45Z")
Guardian? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ward-and-terminology-question/219147/3 "2003-12-15T17:19:11Z")
Guardian is the correct term. The legal definition of ward is “A minor or incompetent person placed under the care or protection of a _guardian_ or court.” Both terms are gender-neutral. ---
**Author:** ![boofy\_bloke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@boofy\_bloke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boofy_bloke)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ward-and-terminology-question/219147/4 "2003-12-16T08:34:54Z")
Are you sure it’s not Ward and Batman?