RE: The word "Gal" and racism

RE: The word "Gal" and racism (Full Version)

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Lashra -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 6:06:54 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Aileen1968 This gal has never heard of it in any kind of racist term or even in any sort of derogatory term. I find it much less offensive then being called "girl" by strangers. Yeah I agree with this, I don't like being called "girl", particularly since I'm over 40. Funny how people will call a grown woman "girl" but many won't call a man "boy". I did to the last one who called me "girl" and he gave me a funny look....strange boy. ~Lashra

lronitulstahp -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 6:11:27 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: EvilGenius44 I've never heard of this word being deemed racist either. The official origin I found was "pronunciation of girl, 1795, execrated as a Cockney vulgarism". While I think it could be a condescending term for a woman, I don't think it's paticularly sexist or racist. I think we as a society spend way too much of our time looking for reasons to be offended, which is why political correctness has gotten so out of hand. I personally never used the term, but it's just because it doesn't fit my vocabulary style. Just my 2 cents.... i couldn't agree more. Walking on eggshellsaround people is as bad as being purposefully unkind sometimes. There are pink elephants in lots of social "rooms"....it's stupid to pretend they don't exist. Just working around them always seems the better option for me.

Irishknight -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 8:19:23 AM)
Everything I've seen shows that the word is just a slang for female. As for it being racist in the right context, almost anything can be racist if someone wants it to be. Often its the tone and the intent, not the word. If I start chaining up a certain group of people and making them do nothing but my laundry, I could call them "washing machines" and have it be racist. lets not create more racist terms than we already have.

faerytattoodgirl -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 9:01:39 AM)
you never hear a group of girls say "ok gals..." but rather you hear "ok guys". but rarely do you hear "ok girls" whats up with that???

orfunboi -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 9:05:10 AM)
Wow, I have never heard that. Wasn't there a song about the Erie Canal, where they refered to the ship as "this ol' gal" ?

philosophy -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 9:13:59 AM)
FR ....surely the odd slave owner called a slave, "hey you".........by the same logic as the OP then this makes the word 'you' a racist slur.

DomAviator -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 9:14:20 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Lashra Yeah I agree with this, I don't like being called "girl", particularly since I'm over 40. Funny how people will call a grown woman "girl" but many won't call a man "boy". I did to the last one who called me "girl" and he gave me a funny look....strange boy. ~Lashra Its a regional thing and in mostcases its a term of endearment. My exwife who had a MAJOR stick up her ass and who was very big on pomp and protocol (She wasnt a teacher she was a "professional educator") had serious issues with being called girl, sweety, honey, darling, babygirl by waitresses, store clerks, etc here in Texas. Also, contrary to popular belief - boy - isnt necessarily racist in the south. Im 40 years old and causcaion and I routinely get "Hey boy, hows it going?" voice mails or "Wanna get together this afternoon baby boy" calls. Generally its cross gender lines and a term of endearment. Ie if a Texas woman calls you boy it means she likes you, if a texas man uses it hes making a racial remark about an african american or someone he considers stupid as in "so i done told that boy that if hes gonna work for me he gotta get his head screwed on right". The exception to this is "ol boy" as in "I really like that ol boy". What can I say - the south is confusing LOL

MercTech -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 9:20:04 AM)
Humph..... So many are in a hurry to read sexist and racist intent into what is really regional dialect. It does catch me off guard on occasion to be called "honey" or "sugar" by the checkout clerk in the store. But, I know there is no intent at all but it is dialect. Stefan

DomAviator -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 9:23:52 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: sambamanslilgirl quote: This word is offensive as the infamous "N" word. really? since when? i can think of other offensive and racists words besides the "n" one that are still use today to describe African-Americans. Sambamanslilgirl raises an interesting point... The "n word" is RARELY used in Texas as a slur against african americans - but I can think of probably 40 other ones that are including some proper names.... (As in if you call an african amercian whose name might actually be "bill" or "joe" - "Leroy" or "Toby") Also, if dont know if you are doing this on purpose for parody or shock value or whatever, but here in Texas "samba" is actually a really nasty racial slur.

faerytattoodgirl -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 9:24:14 AM)
why is it that men...call their toys...including their car.... girl... but never call their car...boy... surely some cars are boys..... or do they not call them this for fear of being thought of as gay?

popeye1250 -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 9:27:54 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: DomAviator quote: ORIGINAL: Lashra Yeah I agree with this, I don't like being called "girl", particularly since I'm over 40. Funny how people will call a grown woman "girl" but many won't call a man "boy". I did to the last one who called me "girl" and he gave me a funny look....strange boy. ~Lashra Its a regional thing and in mostcases its a term of endearment. My exwife who had a MAJOR stick up her ass and who was very big on pomp and protocol (She wasnt a teacher she was a "professional educator") had serious issues with being called girl, sweety, honey, darling, babygirl by waitresses, store clerks, etc here in Texas. Also, contrary to popular belief - boy - isnt necessarily racist in the south. Im 40 years old and causcaion and I routinely get "Hey boy, hows it going?" voice mails or "Wanna get together this afternoon baby boy" calls. Generally its cross gender lines and a term of endearment. Ie if a Texas woman calls you boy it means she likes you, if a texas man uses it hes making a racial remark about an african american or someone he considers stupid as in "so i done told that boy that if hes gonna work for me he gotta get his head screwed on right". The exception to this is "ol boy" as in "I really like that ol boy". What can I say - the south is confusing LOL Aviator, I'm from Boston, Mass origionally (Think "Dennis Leary") and I've lived in the South for 4 years now and I love that "Southern Speak." I walk into a convenience store or restaurant here and it's a pretty woman saying, "Hey Darlin'! How y'all doin'?" Up North it'd be, "what the hell do YOU want!?" And I'm 57 so I don't mind being called "Boy" at all! And I'm kind of "redneck" anyway and a guy here at the pistol range told me once, "you're a good ol' boy who talks funny."

DomAviator -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 9:28:17 AM)
Because things of grace, beauty, and speed - that suck your wallet dry - like boats, airplanes, and sports cars are female LOL Actually I dont call my cars by any gender... BUT I do refer to boats and airplanes with a female gender. Thats just a nautical tradition.

BRNaughtyAngel -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 9:32:14 AM)
I've lived in the south my whole life and gal is not a word I've heard southerners use... at least not in Louisiana. It's a yankee word. [;)] But I also never hear someone address a person "girl", "gal" or "guy". I'm not talking about BDSM stuff, just life in general. If I'm talking about someone, I may say, "That girl used to work at the cafe around the corner." Or, "That lady worked with my Mom years ago." Or, "That's the guy that was on the news the other night." When I've heard "gal" being used, it was in the same context as above, only it was being used by someone from up north. Ex: "This gal I work with has some kittens she's trying to give away." "Chick" or "dude" are similar, just more along the lines of slang words.

DomAviator -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 9:33:02 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: popeye1250 Aviator, I'm from Boston, Mass origionally (Think "Dennis Leary") and I've lived in the South for 4 years now and I love that "Southern Speak." I walk into a convenience store or restaurant here and it's a pretty woman saying, "Hey Darlin'! How y'all doin'?" Up North it'd be, "what the hell do YOU want!?" And I'm 57 so I don't mind being called "Boy" at all! And I'm kind of "redneck" anyway and a guy here at the pistol range told me once, "you're a good ol' boy who talks funny." Oh I know I love it! I was Navy since I was a sperm so I lived everywhere but after Buffalo NY I have to admit that the first time a waitress sat down at the table and stared talking and picking at my fries I was like WTF? But theres something nice about walking into the walgreens and having the little 19 year old honey in there say "Hey boy where ya been sweety?" [:D] I LOVE TEXAS! [:D][:D]

MusicalBoredom -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 9:34:19 AM)
I have to agree with Tulip's assessment that intent is what defines something as racist (or sexiest in my opinion). I have used the term girl and girls but mostly in a "cute" context such as when a group of my female friends are sitting at a table laughing and they all get quiet when a guy approaches. I might say "what are you girls doing?" On the other hand, when I was growing up in the South, "little old ladies" often referred to their "girl" which was usually a black lady in her 60s or 70s who had worked for the "little old lady" for years. It made me cringe even as a kid. I have also heard a bunch or drunk rednecks say "girl get over here and take our order" to people of just about any race but that seemed more offensive as it was meant to make them better than the person they were talking to.

vield -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 9:34:21 AM)
If you get into listening or singing the old sea chanties you will find a LOT of politically incorrect terms used for both ships and women. These are old work songs, used to put a rythm into heavy team work. Boats and ships are almost always referred to as "she" or 'her", even if they have a male or non gender specific name. There can be innuendoes in the songs about things like how "she" is built which can be understood as referring to either ships or women, as the listener choses to take it. LOL either might get referred to as a "hooker", or a "cranky bitch" for totally different reasons. "Gals" or "gal" is pretty common use too. Calling a ship named "Dreadnought" or "Edmund Fitzgerald" a "good old gal" might seem a bit transgendered to some, but for a deckhand of any gender, this will usually be understood.

Irishknight -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 9:37:12 AM)
It is a tradition to call things of grace and beauty by female names. I always thought that it was a compliment to the prettier gender, the one that actually looks appealing when naked. Maybe I'm the only one who thinks the male body looks silly naked ....

faerytattoodgirl -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 9:42:05 AM)
but if the car is a stick shift....surely it would be called boy.... stick= well u know.

lronitulstahp -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 9:48:28 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Irishknight Everything I've seen shows that the word is just a slang for female. As for it being racist in the right context, almost anything can be racist if someone wants it to be. Often its the tone and the intent, not the word. If I start chaining up a certain group of people and making them do nothing but my laundry, I could call them "washing machines" and have it be racist. lets not create more racist terms than we already have. "allow me to retort"..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czb4jn5y94g Not "creating" anything...in fact if anything, i was trying to point out the fact that it isn't usually a racist term...and a pretty outdated one as far as racist terms go. Doesn't negate the fact that it was used. Just shows it has little validity today and that the OP shouldn't feel bad for using it in general convo.

BRNaughtyAngel -> RE: The word "Gal" and racism (5/21/2008 9:54:10 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: faerytattoodgirl but if the car is a stick shift....surely it would be called boy.... stick= well u know. For me, trucks are almost always masculine. SUVs....... eh, it depends, considering it's the vehicle of choice for so many suburbanite soccer moms. Muscle cars...... well now that depends on the car and it's color, but more often leaning towards the male side...... except my light blue Mustang is a girl. She's my Little Blue Pony. But then we might get into poltical incorrectness and racism if we start stereotyping vehicles based on their color. [;)]

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