Chick

[Beverly Flanigan]

At 01:15 PM 11/12/99 -0700, you wrote:
>It seems to me that the word "chick" is regaining popularity, especially
>among young females. I would be insulted if a colleague called me Chick, but
>I would tolerate it from a friend. Perhaps it is an attitude among women
>that we can call ourselves whatever we like. The popular country music group
>Dixie Chicks, for example, picked their own name and even have chick feet
>tattooed on their feet. Their web site (www.dixiechicks.com) says, "The
>Dixie Chicks came out of the chute with enough sass and confidence to adopt
>slogans like 'Chicks Rule' and 'Chicks Kick Ass.'" Whether the Dixie Chicks
>themselves are leading this fad, I don't know. My question is, "Is it more
>acceptable for women to refer to themselves as chicks than for men?"

Than for men to call women chicks, I assume you mean?  I would hope
so.  Related terms like 'girl', 'girlfriend', and even 'bitch' appear to be
OK from female to female but not from male to female--or at least I hope
so.  However, when I ask my undergraduate women if they mind being called
"girls," I get an ever-increasing "no, why?"  As Lynne said, they seem to
enjoy dressing, acting, and talking (with a highpitched squeak) like little
girls, so I guess it follows that they like the label.  In fact, they tell
me "women" sounds "old and stuffy"--the last thing they want to be.  My
cut-off for 'girl' is the end of high school, but these people seem not to
want to give up that stage in their lives.  Interestingly, they also seem
to be rejecting 'Ms' as an address term (also old and stuffy)--FN only, please.

>Amy
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Bradley, Beth M <Beth.M.Bradley at UWSP.EDU>
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Date: Friday, November 12, 1999 11:14 AM
>Subject: Re: Chick
>
>
> >I am in college.  Now and in high school, my friends and I have used
> >"chick", when we are talking amongst ourselves.  We do not take offense to
> >it.  Many other women do, though, and some men are surprised that we use
>the
> >term.
> >What is it about "chick" that is offensive to some people?
> >
> >-Beth Bradley
> >
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Tom Kysilko [mailto:pds at VISI.COM]
> >Sent: Friday, November 12, 1999 1:41 AM
> >To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> >Subject: Chick
> >
> >
> >Further evidence of the rehabilitation of "chick":
> >
> >The cover story of the Fall 1999 issue of the Carleton College alumni
> >magazine tells of a young alumna who took a crew of high school girls from
> >SF to Baja and back on a schooner.  The title of the article is "Moby
> >Chick".
> >
> >
> >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> >  Tom Kysilko        Practical Data Services
> >  pds at visi.com       Saint Paul MN USA
> >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~