Girl. The Word. Use It Or Lose It?

 By Karen and Erica

We have all been called girl at times in our lives. When we were pre-teen, we didn’t give it a thought. Some time after that, we began to chafe. We were grownups, women, not girls. We knew girl was intended to put us down, to diminish us as juvenile or weak or in some other way lesser human beings than those who had power. We didn’t like it.

At work, we also rejected the word girl. Being called girl implied that we were cute, but novices—people who might never be fully grown, whoser views were not mature, who were probably a little flighty. Girls didn't get the respect men did. At work, we insisted on being called women.  

Since then, to some extent, girl has been repurposed, as in run like a girl. We like that—taking back a good word from a less than good use. We also have a soft spot for Grrl. Reminds us of the Guerilla Girls. We don’t feel quite the same about gal, maybe for the reasons suggested in this article. Gal sounds a bit dated. But we would never use any of these words in any context in which a male person would only be called a man, not a boy.

Now that we are women who have retired after long careers, we are once again sometimes called girls. Now, of course, no-one is suggesting we are young or flighty, or new at our jobs. They seem, instead, to use the word to suggest we are plucky and persevering. Almost the opposite of the original implications.

We’re trying to decide what we think about that. We no longer have to prove we are full-grown, or that we can succeed. The word girl can no longer undermine us. In fact, for us now, it has some positive connotations. Girls are youthful and energetic, with exciting lives ahead of them. Girls refuse to go gently into the night. To that extent, being called girl is OK.

What do you think?