General Chat

Well, I'm worried now. I call people sweetheart, darlin, petal, my love. I don't mean anything by it and I would hate to think someone would be offended by this. I might add I wouldn't call an older person any of these endearments it's usually younger people and generally girls.
Sue xx

I don't really mind, as long as its not in a sarcastic way, and that has never happened to me.....

What I am glad to see the back of is the custom before and just after the war, of so-called superiors calling those that they thought beneath them by their surname alone........to me that is disgusting.....

Sally....me too. It is completely disrespectful
and hopefully doesn't happen often these days.

I really am going to have to try very hard to just say thank you for kindnesses in future and not add anything else:)

Jean x.

Jean, you just carry on being you.......it is only when it is said in a way meant to offend it sounds offensive, otherwise in London and the S.East most shopkeepers say Ta love! or cheers love......means nothing harmful.....

As for 'girls'.......my MiL goes to her club on a Friday and is always saying 'the girls this or the girls that'......they are all in their 80's or 90's.....lol....

Jean

You just go on being you.

I'm sure there are situations in life where you wouldn't think to use such friendly terms, but on here or much of your day-to-day dealings, I'd say just go ahead with what comes naturally.

Gwyn

I often think with overreactions like this, there is no wonder chivalry is dying. A lot of the boys at school (when aged 14-15, back in around 2000) were going through a very macho, "lads" kind of phase - pornography plastered across their technology folders etc - and now I wonder if they developed that attitude partly because they were hormonal and partly because they were too scared to open doors etc for girls in case the girls called them sexist.

Our car has just died (well, not died, but it would cost more to fix than the car's worth so my parents aren't bothering) and we went to look at a car yesterday. I know car salesmen lay it on a bit much being nice and interested because they are basically hoping to sell you a car but it was so nice that someone was actually bothering to open car doors for my mum and I when we came back from the test drives!

That's the way I see it too,Lynda:-)
In a professional environment its not acceptable.