Suckage...Being called Ma'am...

[Kim]

so I'm in the line at the grocery store, and the younger man ahead of me is a buck short for his beer. I gave him a dollar, and he said "Thank you, ma'am." Ma'am! I sure hope I don't look as old as he made me feel. I had to blast the stereo on the way home just to feel young again. (although, Pink Floyd on the stereo, and 2 kids in the back probably gave my oldness away) Maybe I need to bleach my hair and get a tatoo.....

[jujubees]

You should hold off on the tattoo & blonde hair :D Grocery store clerks call me ma'am all the time, and I look 16. I think he was just trying to be polite, which is rare these days!

[Nija]

I don't care how old someone looks I always refer to them as Ma'am, it's a sign of respect because well they are woman.

Bleach blonde hair... i had that :)
Tattoos... Got those.. w00p i'm never going young woop!!

BTW i'm 22 in case ya cared :)

Nija

[Anck Su Namun]

Everyone calls everyone m'am especially in the south. I didn't notice it so much in Cali. haha prob cause people are so rude there (in general).

[Sir_Froggy]

i thought ma'am was a good thing...i didn't know it was for older people...cuz wut else will u call a woman that u don't know?

hey gurl?
hey lady? oh wait Mr. T says that in the 1-800-Collect commercial :P

[Anck Su Namun]

Originally posted by chosenfool
safest way is to say "Miss", in my experience. Or just say nothing - a simple thank you, or excuse me, or youre welcome will do fine without addressing the woman directly.

Indeed. If the woman looks young, call her Miss! Or Ms. works with a woman of any age. I hate being called m'am I am only 20! it's so dumb.

[southernbelle]

I "ma'am" the fire out all almost any female I meet - always have. It was the way I was raised. Ma'am means "I respect you as a person in your own right - you aren't defined in in terms of someone else". "Miss" or "Ms" is only referring to your station - Miss would your serve me, or ring me up, or whatever, or your marital status - single or married. Someone referring to you as "ma'am" means you have the pleasure of talking to someone who's momma raised 'em right.

So don't let a little mannerly behavior getcha all worked up, reach on over a pour yourself a little somethin' cold, and settle back and enjoy this fine fall evenin'

[sbp]

Originally posted by chosenfool
safest way is to say "Miss", in my experience. Or just say nothing - a simple thank you, or excuse me, or youre welcome will do fine without addressing the woman directly. Its sad to see feminism has so perverted things that people can't even be polite with one another. :(

As southernbelle has pointed out some of this is due to how you were raised. Plus it has to do with what part of the country you were come from. Soul Brother who hails from Florida is polite.

[jujubees]

I'd just like to add that one's geographical region is not the sole determinant of politeness. I'm from California, and I was raised to out-sir and out-ma'am everyone else out here. :blite:

[Anck Su Namun]

Originally posted by jujubees
I'd just like to add that one's geographical region is not the sole determinant of politeness. I'm from California, and I was raised to out-sir and out-ma'am everyone else out here. :blite: me too. but younger people you should call miss.

[topane]

I was at a gas station once and these three 18 year-old girls drove up to me. One smiled and looked at me and said "Excuse me, sir..." Man, you never saw an ego die so quickly.

[Nija]

I almost never call anyone "Miss" unless they are like a teacher. Miss Anderson (and so on and so forth". Ma'ame or Madame. I think the only time I say "Miss" is when I am at like a cash register and they don't "notice" me, then I say a very light and casual "Excuse Me, Miss...." then I get looked at ?(for acknowledgement) and I'm content.

I've been called "Sir" (haha I was 19! but they were my underlings :D) It's like a sign of respect. That's how I c it.

Nija
22, Southern California (born and bred, same with the family)

[El Scorcho]

well atleast you werent called ma'am (Btw im a guy) it was some guy trying to sell me something and hes like "thank you ma'am" and i was like "im not a ma'am!" and then there was this long pause cause he knew he screwed up n then he said "oh sorry" n i was like "yeah thats right" n then i hung up. I dunno if i was just him or i sound kinda high pitched on the phone... nobody else called me a maam but sitll.... :angry:

[Kim]

Originally posted by sbp
Its sad to see feminism has so perverted things that people can't even be polite with one another. :(


Oh no, I didn't mean that at all. I appreciate the politeness, it just made me feel kinda old. I don't consider myself feminist at all. :)

[DaFunkyUnit]

or they can go about it Al Bundy style:

"WOMAN!..."

:D

[Anck Su Namun]

Originally posted by DaFunkyUnit
or they can go about it Al Bundy style:

"WOMAN!..."

:D
haha oh yea even better
My personal fav is "young lady"
:angry:

[Nanotech9]

i always though Miss was for females of age 16 and younger.
if i was in a similar age bracket, then between 17 and 25 would by referred to by just name, or if unknown, then no title at all. Then, anything over that, SIMPLY out of respect (and upbring'in) it was Ma'am.

funny thing, i've called girles at drivethroughs Ma'am before.. :heh:

Chosenfool: the two ppl that called you sir... were they guys or gals?

[Nanotech9]

heres another funny thing... I'm only 20 right?
well, ppl always think I'm older than my 24 (going on 25) yr/old brother, even when he had his beard. (he has a "baby face")

At work (after work), they're like "hey, you wanna beer?"... or like today, something we were talking about, and i said "youve got a 10 year lead on me" to thsi one guy, and they were all like "no way your 20"... i dont know if i should feel old, or feel good that ppl are thinking I'm older than i am... hummm.