Anyone else hate to be called "ma'am"?

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  • TheFitHooker
    TheFitHooker Posts: 3,358 Member
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    I guess it depends on where you are, when I was 9 I remember being called ma'am, it's just a polite thing southerns do. I guess, different strokes for different folks?
  • nightsrainfall
    nightsrainfall Posts: 244 Member
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    We are teaching my son to say "sir" and "ma'am" to everyone. It's just respectful, so children saying it to me doesn't bother me. It also doesn't bother me if its a sales person or a waiter.

    However, My husband and I got a much needed date night a few months ago and went to dinner and then to a movie. I was dressed up cute, probably had a glass of wine with dinner.. feeling like when back when we were dating.... then a teenage boy approached me and called me about saving some seats or something and was all about the yes ma'am and no ma'am... and all I could think was "I'm only 10 years older than you, you should not call me ma'am"

    Took the wind right outta my sails.

    And what would you have rather he called you? Regardless of age, it's respect. Respect for a female.

    I've said Ma'am to a 19 y/o (I'm 28) and a 50 y/o, or a 25 y/o.

    Respect knows no age.

    I think that many people have forgotten that Ma'am is a term of respect. At work many people use Sir for other guys so when they speak to me or another woman it goes from Sir to Ma'am.

    I am not from an area or a family where Sir and Ma'am are used so it is still strange for me to hear it. But as I've traveled, I have come to realize that both are terms of respect. And actually, some of the people at work use it as a greeting almost.
  • treetop57
    treetop57 Posts: 1,578 Member
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    TOPIC: Anyone else hate to be called "ma'am"?

    Nope. Doesn't bother me a bit.
  • CoffeeNBooze
    CoffeeNBooze Posts: 966 Member
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    yeah. call me miss. ma'am is sooo matronly!
  • trainorgirl
    trainorgirl Posts: 44
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    I am okay with it if they are from the south.. I have a Texan friend that calls me ma’am and it sounds very attractive!!! You have to have a southern/texan accent to pull it off. Cause calling ladies ma’am that’s what they do down there.. no accent no ma’am-ing me!!
  • JediMindfck
    JediMindfck Posts: 73 Member
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    "Ma'am" might be bad but "Signora" absolutely takes the biscuit! I was on the receiving end of that one when I was in Italy some years ago. Clearly I'm still not over it :grumble:

    Then of course there's always "Sir". Get that on the phone quite a bit, and that kinda sucks too.
  • dictations
    dictations Posts: 199
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    It makes me feel so old and crusty.
    I LOVE ''miss'', however.
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
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    I don't mind it at all. It's a sign of respect.

    I used to be carded till I was 32 years old. Now I don't need to bring ID with me!
  • weezer1234
    weezer1234 Posts: 1
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    I hate it so much!! I know it is in my head, but it just makes me feel old. Unless I am down south, it bothers the hell out of me. I am 37, I have no problem with getting chronologically older, but I don't feel old per say. I am 5'5, 126lbs, and I feel I look pretty good. I am not trying to be ridiculous and act or look 22, but youthful. So that being said, I have asked people to not say it. I don't get it all the time, but even once and awhile drives me nuts.
  • trophywife24
    trophywife24 Posts: 1,472 Member
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    It's very common down here. It took me a few months to get used to it (I'm a total northerner, haha) but now I rather like it. I don't mine miss or ma'am, but prefer darlin'. ;)
  • BEAUTY4UBEAST
    BEAUTY4UBEAST Posts: 372
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    Southern Hospitality here.... Yes ma'am... part of my raising...

    Had a lady respond to me with frustartion because I said go ahead ma'am you can go in front of me in line...

    She responed dont call me tht.. I dont like it... thts rude... haha I laughed and said nooo This is rude... B*tch take ya skank a&& to

    the back of the line... Really Really!!
  • aerochic42
    aerochic42 Posts: 821 Member
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    Only when it is said in such a condescending tone, that you know in their heads they are replacing it with a MUCH worse word. Of course that's being somewhat hypocritcal,as I'll do that when annoyed but still need to remain polite.

    hun, sugar, darling only bother me when it's clearly an affected term not a natural habit. Only my husband can call me sweetie :)
  • whitneysin
    whitneysin Posts: 605 Member
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    I just got called ma'am in the parking lot by somebody older than me. I was wearing yoga pants, a long t, a hoodie, and sneakers so maybe I looked like a soccer mom. I'm 27, and apparently, constantly a ma'am now.

    From now on, I'm seriously taking everyone out who calls me ma'am. Why are we ma'am'd due to our age when all men are sir, regardless of age.

    Unless I live in the southernest part of the south. F*** that.
  • ashleydet1002
    ashleydet1002 Posts: 10
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    I'm from the South so it doesn't faze me. I raised my kids to say yes ma'm/sir and no ma'm/sir.
  • CAS317
    CAS317 Posts: 267 Member
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    HELL YEAH!!!!
  • triciab79
    triciab79 Posts: 1,713 Member
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    Nope I like being called ma'am. I was raised in the South and it is a sign of respect.
  • MizVandyk
    MizVandyk Posts: 602 Member
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    I'm from the South, it doesn't bother me its a respect thing. I use ma'am and sir all the time for people older younger and the same age as me
  • tiffanyrose519
    tiffanyrose519 Posts: 107 Member
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    I hate it too!! I feel like only older ladies should be called ma'am...
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    Ugh, hate it. I remember the first person who called me "ma'am", too.
  • triciab79
    triciab79 Posts: 1,713 Member
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    Why do you need a term at all, it's 2012? If you're trying to get someone's attention a simple "excuse me" will do and if you're greeting someone how about just "hello" are "how are you today?" That's how most people address everyone else except for the women they are rudely making age assumptions about?

    Ma'am in my opinion is simply rude it's basically someone addressing someone based on their judgement or assumption of their physical appearance in some way. I'm not a feminist, but I do think it is sexist and rude to call woman ma'am then address a woman who is clearly older then her, behind her in line say...as "miss" because the next woman may be dressed a certain way or to address two friends of the same age differently (one as miss the other as ma'am) which is in such a case another incorrect assumption. The term is rude and outdated and in some circumstances quite insulting.

    This term and it's usage baffles me to no end. I'm in my 30's and some days I'm getting carded and called miss or dear and on other days I'm being ma'am'd like their is no tomorrow and its' usually based on how I'm dressed or how much sleep I've gotten or whether or not my allergies are acting up (aka based on nothing more then how I'm looking that day). It's simply rude. Why should women have to be addressed based on how they look whilst everyone else...not so much. Use common sense and address all women the way you address everyone else (just leave that ma'am crap out).

    Wow! I think you might be over thinking this one. The use of ma'am and miss is not meant to oppress you as a woman I promise. You might want to dislodge that stick a little it appears to have reached your brain.

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