Obama had to apologize to a female reporter in Michigan not only for failing to answer her question but also for calling her "sweetie."
I know some will think this is a non-issue (look at the 241 tools who commented on that article), but I personally hate being called "sweetie" (or any derivative thereof). Especially by someone I don't know. It's one of those out-of-date diminutive nicknames that goes only to women. It's degrading and implies women's place as the complacent, innocent, sweet, non-threatening good little girls we're supposed to be. And it makes me want to gag.
I spent five years in the south, where they still seem to live by that last thing. You know, women aren't supposed to be loud or opinionated or free-thinking, and we're certainly supposed to be pure and sweet. I got called various forms of "sweetie" all the time and I wanted to slap people for it.
Oops, that's not ladylike.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Aww, Hey Sugar
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3 comments:
To Queen Elizabeth II: "Nice tiara, Sweetie"
To Margaret Thatcher: "Yeah, Sweetie, you were a great Prime Minister"
To Nancy Pelosi: "Hey you're rockin' that Speaker of the House position, Sweetie"
so... i understand this situation, but does that mean it's bad when i call everyone i know "hun"?
I understand the situation and think that he should have answered her question, but find no problem with the usage of the term sweetie.
Perhaps this is just a difference in age, location (OK) and the fact that my mother had me in her 40's during the mid 70's. I was raised differently than my peers. I call all strangers "sugar", "hun", "honey" or "babydoll" regardless of age, race, sex or "otherwise".
I was also raised to speak to people that I know only by their first name but not by their surname to add a "respectful" Miss or Mr before speaking. My father and brothers are the same.
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