Is "chick" a derogatory term for girls?

[Grisu]

You don't want to know, believe me. The things feminists forced us to do with our language... it's horrible!

you mean like useing "frau" instead of "man" ?

on topic: it depends on your intentions and how you use it wether it is derogatory or not. I usually don't use the word myself. for example my sister (whom I consider a feminist, the real kind not the foaming-hyena-type, regularely uses it when she talks about going out with her female friends (chick evening). but addressing a woman directly as "chick" would seem pretty derogatory to me. (I know it's not really consistant, but that's the best I can do

 

[Paalikles]

I agree with Rik.

There are more polite ways to show that you are not satisfied with the service in a store. And your example is terrible - given that you had an expired coupon.

 

[Rik Meleet]

It doesn't matter whether you think is derogatory or not. It matters whether the person you are speaking to thinks it is.

I disagree with this. It's not my fault if someone identifies himself with the phrase I use.
If I say "Most chicks are stupid, fat and ugly morons" then the people onjecting to being called stupid, fat ugly and a moron are in fact identifying themselves as chicks; even if I don't consider them to be part of the "chick" group. They position themselves in the "target area" after the statement is made and then call it derogatory.
Spot the difference between "Most chicks are stupid, fat and ugly morons" and "Women are chicks".

 

[Till]

you mean like useing "frau" instead of "man" ?

on topic: it depends on your intentions and how you use it wether it is derogatory or not. I usually don't use the word myself. for example my sister (whom I consider a feminist, the real kind not the foaming-hyena-type, regularely uses it when she talks about going out with her female friends (chick evening). but addressing a woman directly as "chick" would seem pretty derogatory to me. (I know it's not really consistant, but that's the best I can do

Also "LeserIn". The strange mix of male and female form attached with caps. My Uni uses it on all official documents and it hurts my eyes.
Your example is even better, though!
On topic: I would never address a woman as "chick". Everything but her name or "you" would feel awkward. But in order to refer to girls in general, i don't view it as derogatory.

(Edit: Ps: i think your guestbook is busted, Kaptain )

 

[Grisu]

Also "LeserIn". The strange mix of male and female form attached with caps. My Uni uses it on all official documents and it hurts my eyes.
Your example is even better, though!

Don't I know it.... I work for the canton so everything has to be Über-PC. Hell we even got complaints becaus we internally stored the sex 'female' as 0 and 'male' as 1
and never forget the infamous "Frauschaft"

(Edit: Ps: i think your guestbook is busted, Kaptain )

seems to be working again now, it stored your entry but wouldn't display it on the site I don't like the colours all that much myself, but lately I've been way to busy (read lazy) to do any work on my site

 

[The Last Conformist]

How do feminists in non-English speaking countries stay sane? El lapiz, la pluma? My goodness, everything has a gender!

Stay sane? Who says they started out that way?

Also "LeserIn". The strange mix of male and female form attached with caps. My Uni uses it on all official documents and it hurts my eyes.

Well, after reading "Studentinnen und Studenten" a few times too many, I actually started to appreciate that particular convention. Beats me, however, why you can't do as Swedish and use student as a gender-neutral term.

As for "chick" to mean girl or woman, I sometimes use it in a jocular fashion, but I'd never address a female as "chick". Then again, I'd never address a male as "dude" either.

 

[Mirc]

Any woman that would object to the term is not what I would consider a "chick" anyway.

I agree.
Ten characters

 

[Meleager]

What about chick-flicks, or check-out-chicks? If we can't use "chick" what would we call them??

Lady-flicks? check-out-person?

I would have thought "chick" was a compliment anyway.

 

[Till]

Don't I know it.... I work for the canton so everything has to be Über-PC. Hell we even got complaints becaus we internally stored the sex 'female' as 0 and 'male' as 1
and never forget the infamous "Frauschaft"

It took me a few seconds to figure out the meaning of "Frauschaft".

Well, after reading "Studentinnen und Studenten" a few times too many, I actually started to appreciate that particular convention. Beats me, however, why you can't do as Swedish and use student as a gender-neutral term.

Personally, i have settled for "Studentenperson", whenever i am forced to be PC.

 

[bhsup]

It doesn't matter whether you think is derogatory or not. It matters whether the person you are speaking to thinks it is.

I absolutely agree with Rik on this one. I couldn't care less if someone thinks differently than I do on how my use of a word is interpreted. If they don't like it, that's their problem.

Example. A black guy got mad at me once because I called is little children "boys", which is what I also sometimes call my nephews or any other group of two or more non-adult males. He thought it was demeaning and racist, I explained that I sure as heck wasn't going to call them men yet because...well, they weren't men. They're boys and that's what I'll call them, and I don't care what anyone else thinks about it.

 

[Mise]

I often say to my friends, "Hey, check out those hawt chixx0rz!".

 

[Hitro]

Beats me, however, why you can't do as Swedish and use student as a gender-neutral term.

Because it's the male form and using it would discriminate against the female students. It would be like being Hitler.

 

[classical_hero]

So you're the kind don't call me a chick, chick?

 

[willemvanoranje]

I wasn't trying to insult her until she started being a jerk. The main thing wasn't the fact that she wouldn't lemme use the coupon, but the snobiness with which she informed me it was expired.

Dude! (is that a derogatory term for men? ) I don't know where you are from, but that story of yours is just unbelivable. Seems to me your social skills are.. non-existing?

 

[The Last Conformist]

Because it's the male form and using it would discriminate against the female students. It would be like being Hitler.

Well, the Latin original, studens is epicene, taking whatever gender is appropriate in context (eg. Marla studens bona est, sed Hitro studens malus "Marla is a good student, but Hitro is a bad student"). If the good ol' Roman male patresfamilias could pull that of, surely you postmoderns can.

 

[jonatas]

I disagree with this. It's not my fault if someone identifies himself with the phrase I use.

It's your own dumb fault if you make yourself look bad in front of a "chick" you like, or you get yourself into a fight with some mean looking individual, or you fail to impress a potential employer etc

 

[Jawz II]

It probably used to be, but now ***** has replaced chick. Anytime I refer to a girl I don't respect, or speak to a girl I don't like, I usually use "*****" or "whore" or sometimes I"ll throw in "******".

Moderator Action: Language - warned.
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

When you're actually talking to a girl you like, respect, are friends with, or whatever, you sound like an IDIOT stuck about 10-15yrs ago when you call girls chicks. You certainly don't look cool.

when you become older youll realize knowing the latest school yard lingo isnt really all that important to you anymore. also worrying about looking cool and using the right words and the right wardrobe so you will look cool, is pretty damn uncool.

but yeah i know those rules are really important to young people, or theyll get singled out and thats the last thing a young person wants, cause they all wanna blend in etc...

anyway the word chick is i think from the 1920s or maybe even earleir era jazz music. jazz musicians started referring to women as chicks and men as mules (donkeys?) or something like that. the chick thing stuck, the mule thing didnt.

so there you have it, you would actually sound like some "idiot" from 85 years ago.

ps. calling girls b**** is pretty idiotic if you ask me, but im not trying to flame you.

i know its prolly a trend...

 

[Bozo Erectus]

I prefer calling them 'broads'. Makes me feel like Bogey.

 

[Jawz II]

i call em dames. makes me feel like Marv from sin city.

 

[willemvanoranje]

It doesn't matter whether you think is derogatory or not. It matters whether the person you are speaking to thinks it is.

Third dimension of power: it is the power where people believe that what you want is actually also what they want. In other words, you can make someone believe that your actions are not harming them and are actually good for them, even if they are not. So, it does matter. If Rik discriminates a woman, but she says she doesn't feel discriminated, it still is discrimination!