"Ladies and Gentlemen" becoming an outdated term?

[Jennasis]

Sounds good to me.

 

[low-key]

At least it lasted longer then "ladies and germs"

 

[ronandannette]

"Good morning my guys, my gals, my nonbinary pals." Is what I use at work. Everyone always smiles.

OK, I laughed.

 

[Skywalker]

Love it.

The transgender community really needs to get properly acknowledged. This is a good thing.

But, ladies and gentlemen includes transgender people too doesn't it? I mean whether you are born a certain way or identify a certain way certainly you are covered under one or the other? If you are neither a lady nor a gentleman, or some amalgamation of the two, then you are a biological anomaly worth studying.

 

[Sandeep1]

But, ladies and gentlemen includes transgender people too doesn't it?

Yes it does. If you're TG, that means you were either: a) born a man and now claim to be a woman or b) born a woman and now claim to be a man. Either way, they're included in "ladies and gentlemen."

 

[DLgal]

I've always hated the phrase "ladies and "gentleman." They are such archaic, outdated terms. Not all males are gentlemen by definition.

Similarly, not all females are "ladies." Men and women is more technically correct, and I always thought ladies and gentlemen just sounded pompous and kind of stupid.

Everyone seems to be a good, all encompassing term.

I have been to several doctor's offices where there were 3 options on the gender selection part. It's not new around here. It is even on the kids school emergency info card.

 

[kimblebee]

I simply cannot wait to be asked a similar question.

Why? It’s a simple one word answer. Yes.

Think of it this way..would your husband make a fuss if he was called ma’am at a restaurant? I’m guessing he would. So, why can’t someone else be called by their preferred pronouns? What harm does it actually do to you?

 

[VandVsmama]

Instead of that, just say "y'all."

Like...
"Welcome aboard, y'all. Please buckle your seatbelts. We are ready to depart."

Or the southern California gender neutral generic term of "dude." "Duuuude! Welcome board! Please take your seats and enjoy your flight."

"Dude" is a great word that comes with many meanings. Examples for your reading enjoyment:

• "Dude! I can't believe that lady just cut me off!" = OMG, the woman in that car just cut me off!
• "Dude! Awesome job!" = Way to go! Awesome job! (regardless of the gender of the person you're speaking to)
• "Dude!" followed by high 5 or fist bump = I agree, I hear you, etc.
• "DUDE! Did you see that movie?" = That movie was great, don't you agree?
• "Dude, what are you DOING?!" = heard from my mouth in the drop off line at school. This one means, "You are being so stupid right now and I can't swear in front of my kids so I'm using this G-rated word instead."

 

[disykat]

I don't think outdated has to mean someone was offended. Those are terms that just aren't used that often anymore so I don't think there's anything wrong with using something else. I would listen to the old message because I would feel included in "ladies," but I'd also happily listen and feel included by the term "everyone." In the case of airplane messages, I'd guess anyone who didn't really consider themself a lady or a gentleman (which I could assume could be a lot of people, mostly for nothing to do with gender) would be relieved to not have to listen and now will be thinking "darn, now I'm supposed to listen too!" I can see execs sitting around a table trying to modernize the announcements and realizing the term "everyone" could include....... everyone! Duh!

Don't most of those kinds of announcements say "passengers," or just "may I have your attention please" with no titles? I'm kind of surprised they were still saying ladies and gentlemen. (Unless they were hoping it would inspire refined behavior on behalf of the passengers?)

To me this is like saying "happy holidays." To me that has nothing to do with excluding Christmas, but rather just choosing a broad term that doesn't separate out all the holidays in the season. I don't get the offense.

IMO Nothing is wrong with being kind to everyone.

 

[ronandannette]

Why? It’s a simple one word answer. Yes.

Think of it this way..would your husband make a fuss if he was called ma’am at a restaurant? I’m guessing he would. So, why can’t someone else be called by their preferred pronouns? What harm does it actually do to you?

Because I would like to answer it in a way that's meaningful to me - and it's not a one-word answer. As far as my husband making a fuss in your example, well, no he wouldn't. What kind of "fuss" would it be appropriate to make? He wouldn't immediately assume the speaker was hostile or being purposely disrespectful or running some kind of agenda. He would more likely assume there was either something wrong with their eyesight, their power of observation or their language skills. He is clearly a man.

 

[kimblebee]

Because I would like to answer it in a way that's meaningful to me - and it's not a one-word answer. As far as my husband making a fuss in your example, well, no he wouldn't. What kind of "fuss" would it be appropriate to make? He wouldn't immediately assume the speaker was hostile or being purposely disrespectful or running some kind of agenda. He would more likely assume there was either something wrong with their eyesight, their power of observation or their language skills. He is clearly a man.

I didn’t mean your post should be one word. Of course this discussion requires more than that.

I meant the answer to the question ‘Do you identify as the gender on your birth certificate’ would be one word. Yes, or no.

I just don’t see why it’s offensive to allow everyone to feel comfortable in their own skin. Like a pp said, if there wasn’t an article, would anyone really have noticed?

 

[Sandeep1]

I don't think outdated has to mean someone was offended. Those are terms that just aren't used that often anymore so I don't think there's anything wrong with using something else. I would listen to the old message because I would feel included in "ladies," but I'd also happily listen and feel included by the term "everyone." In the case of airplane messages, I'd guess anyone who didn't really consider themself a lady or a gentleman (which I could assume could be a lot of people, mostly for nothing to do with gender) would be relieved to not have to listen and now will be thinking "darn, now I'm supposed to listen too!" I can see execs sitting around a table trying to modernize the announcements and realizing the term "everyone" could include....... everyone! Duh!

Don't most of those kinds of announcements say "passengers," or just "may I have your attention please" with no titles? I'm kind of surprised they were still saying ladies and gentlemen. (Unless they were hoping it would inspire refined behavior on behalf of the passengers?)

To me this is like saying "happy holidays." To me that has nothing to do with excluding Christmas, but rather just choosing a broad term that doesn't separate out all the holidays in the season. I don't get the offense.

IMO Nothing is wrong with being kind to everyone.

I really don't have an issue with an airplane saying "Hello everyone...." My issue is with why they're doing it. This whole thing about preferred pronouns is a joke honestly. Look, you're either a man or a woman. I'll probably be around for another 40-50 years God willing and I will go to my grave calling people either "sir or ma'am." That's just how it's going to be.

 

[dish rag]

I've always hated the phrase "ladies and "gentleman." They are such archaic, outdated terms. Not all males are gentlemen by definition.

Similarly, not all females are "ladies." Men and women is more technically correct, and I always thought ladies and gentlemen just sounded pompous and kind of stupid.

Everyone seems to be a good, all encompassing term.

I have been to several doctor's offices where there were 3 options on the gender selection part. It's not new around here. It is even on the kids school emergency info card.

There is nothing wrong with addressing and treating people in a way that you expect them to act. In high school we were called Mr or Miss because we were expected to act like adults in the class room.

 

[Sandeep1]

There is nothing wrong with addressing and treating people in a way that you expect them to act. In high school we were called Mr or Miss because we were expected to act like adults in the class room.

What would your teacher have done if you had said you were gender fluid and didn't want to be called Mr.?

 

[dish rag]

What would your teacher have done if you had said you were gender fluid and didn't want to be called Mr.?

Wasn’t a thought back then.

 

[disykat]

They said they wanted to modernize AND go to gender neutral terms. My guess it's not all about the neutral terms since it was mentioned second. That is just one part of it, that could be seen by some as a benefit of the change. I've always been sort of a person who sees thing in black or white, but the older I get and the more life experience I gain, they greyer everything gets. I'm not thrilled about using plural pronouns for singular or zie and zim, etc. because they just don't seem right to me (although I'll certainly try to use them if I know individuals who wish me to) but it's hard to understand why anyone would find changing to the term "everyone" objectionable, no matter what reason might be given. I don't think the goal is to force anyone to accept anything, but to modernize the language and while they're at it a side bonus is an opportunity to be inclusive to a group of people who often feel marginalized. (And lets face it, they are a business and as such want to be inclusive to their employees and clients who might not have felt included in ladies and gentlemen.) My guess is this whole thing was a business choice that got turned into a morality war - and even that is good for business because publicity is pretty much always a good thing.

If I had a vote, I can't image saying to the airlines "you should keep using ladies and gentlemen even though those terms are old fashioned and rarely used anymore because "everyone" is gender inclusive."

 

[John VN]

Sorry, don't think there could be anything more Canadian than ----

Good morning, EH!

Good afternoon, EH!

Good evening, EH!

 

[JaxDad]

Instead of that, just say "y'all."

Like...
"Welcome aboard, y'all. Please buckle your seatbelts. We are ready to depart."

Or the southern California gender neutral generic term of "dude." "Duuuude! Welcome board! Please take your seats and enjoy your flight."

"Dude" is a great word that comes with many meanings. Examples for your reading enjoyment:

• "Dude! I can't believe that lady just cut me off!" = OMG, the woman in that car just cut me off!
• "Dude! Awesome job!" = Way to go! Awesome job! (regardless of the gender of the person you're speaking to)
• "Dude!" followed by high 5 or fist bump = I agree, I hear you, etc.
• "DUDE! Did you see that movie?" = That movie was great, don't you agree?
• "Dude, what are you DOING?!" = heard from my mouth in the drop off line at school. This one means, "You are being so stupid right now and I can't swear in front of my kids so I'm using this G-rated word instead."

 

[Moliphino]

I really don't have an issue with an airplane saying "Hello everyone...." My issue is with why they're doing it. This whole thing about preferred pronouns is a joke honestly. Look, you're either a man or a woman. I'll probably be around for another 40-50 years God willing and I will go to my grave calling people either "sir or ma'am." That's just how it's going to be.

What if you can't tell their gender by looking at them? I did experience that at least once when working in retail and another time in college. I studiously avoided using any gender specific words in reference to them, admittedly mostly because I didn't want to embarrass myself by mis-gendering them.

 

[RamblingMad]

What if you can't tell their gender by looking at them? I did experience that at least once when working in retail and another time in college. I studiously avoided using any gender specific words in reference to them, admittedly mostly because I didn't want to embarrass myself by mis-gendering them.

The reality is that a lot of people will end up terminated from their jobs due to gender discrimination. Folks need to adapt and be more inclusive.