Is it offensive to refer to females as "Chicks?"

[blueskies6]

I like the British term 'bird' applied to a female.  For that matter, I also like their use of the word 'fit' to mean 'hot'.

ooh me too! I also liked it when this British boy told me I had a "nice bottom."  It was so proper, I loled

[non parata est]

I like the British term 'bird' applied to a female.  For that matter, I also like their use of the word 'fit' to mean 'hot'.

ooh me too! I also liked it when this British boy told me I had a "nice bottom."  It was so proper, I loled

TPIUWOP

[CaptainSparrow]

If "boys" is okay because "boys" and "men" are both humans, then why isn't "chicks" okay because both "chicks" and "female homo sapiens" are both animals?

because the latter is dehumanizing, presumably.

i once knew a lefty feminist who used the term "chicks" to refer to women.  it confused the living hell out of me.

I'm a lefty-ish feminist-ish person.  I think taking your husband's name is sexist.  I think a lot of marriage-related traditions are sexist.  I think a lot of the ways that men speak to and about women are sexist.
 
And I use the term chick all the time.  My dearest female friend, a greater leftist and feminist than I, is not offended by the term.  I found it interesting that the lecture I got about using that term was from a man.

Chick is just old-fashioned slang.  I wouldn't recommend someone speak that way at work, but I see nothing wrong with saying "this chick I met ...." 

I certainly wouldn't put chick in the same category of "offensive" as a lot of the words I see used for females, e.g. b-i-t-c-h, ho (or is it hoe?), whore, female private part.  People use those terms all the time.  The first two are even used when someone isn't intending to insult women.

If a man's most un-gentlemanly attribute is referring to women as "chicks," I'd say that's a pretty great man (or boy, or guy, or dude).

So tell me more about this expectations of how we the men ought to behave.

[zippyandzap]

how about just "women" or "ladies?"


or "babes" if they're especially foxy! 

[dbgirl]

If "boys" is okay because "boys" and "men" are both humans, then why isn't "chicks" okay because both "chicks" and "female homo sapiens" are both animals?

because the latter is dehumanizing, presumably.

i once knew a lefty feminist who used the term "chicks" to refer to women.  it confused the living hell out of me.

I'm a lefty-ish feminist-ish person.  I think taking your husband's name is sexist.  I think a lot of marriage-related traditions are sexist.  I think a lot of the ways that men speak to and about women are sexist.
 
And I use the term chick all the time.  My dearest female friend, a greater leftist and feminist than I, is not offended by the term.  I found it interesting that the lecture I got about using that term was from a man.

Chick is just old-fashioned slang.  I wouldn't recommend someone speak that way at work, but I see nothing wrong with saying "this chick I met ...." 

I certainly wouldn't put chick in the same category of "offensive" as a lot of the words I see used for females, e.g. b-i-t-c-h, ho (or is it hoe?), whore, female private part.  People use those terms all the time.  The first two are even used when someone isn't intending to insult women.

If a man's most un-gentlemanly attribute is referring to women as "chicks," I'd say that's a pretty great man (or boy, or guy, or dude).

So tell me more about this expectations of how we the men ought to behave.

Well you're probably kidding but - where to start?  Your gender needs a lot of work. 

[Katfid54]

how about just "women" or "ladies?"


or "babes" if they're especially foxy! 

I like early-mid 20th century terms for women:
Like broads and trixies.

[Thistle]

how about just "women" or "ladies?"


or "babes" if they're especially foxy! 

I like early-mid 20th century terms for women:
Like broads and trixies.

so then, a foxy chick is a mutant cross between two animals? 

whoa, double-offensive ftw! 

[This is wrong.]

Yea “chicks” can be offensive, so I try whenever possible to avoid any misunderstanding and to use non loaded terms for women like: honey, female dog, and the ubiquitous “you people.”

 

<-- read thread solely to look for Matthies' response and was not disappointed

[econtutorNV]

how about just "women" or "ladies?"


or "babes" if they're especially foxy! 

I like early-mid 20th century terms for women:
Like broads and trixies.

This is going to be my word of the day tomorrow.

[bridgemonkey405]

Can we vote on this? Mine vote is for "dames". It's like a Fonzie-esque classy term. Classier than "broads" anyways.