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Is "female" offensive? (lemmy.world)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml
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I am not a native English speaker and I have sometimes referred to people as male and female (as that is what I have been taught) but I have received some backlash in some cases, especially for the word "female", is there some negative thought in the word which I am unaware of?

I don't know if this is the best place to ask, if it's not appropriate I have no problem to delete it ^^

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[–] 17 points 2 years ago (7 children)

male/female usually used for animals, for humans usage of man/woman would be the right way

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  • [–] 9 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    I disagree. Male/female is used plenty with humans, but it tends to be used in a more clinical or 'objective' manner, such as in legal documents, autopsy reports, police suspect descriptions, things of that sort.

    I think the use of, e.g., "Look at those four males over there", it has a bit of a connotation of separation of the personhood of the people involved. A man is a living, thinking being; he is worthy of dignity, and he has a soul. A 'male' can almost be called an 'it': it has a characterization of cold, scientific classification.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago

    A β€˜male’ can almost be called an β€˜it’: it has a characterization of cold, scientific classification.

    But that's the issue: its dehumanizing and that's done intentionally. The use case you mention seems to just be an extension of its usage for livestock rather than an exception. But its an exception to it being used in a misogynistic way while still being a noun.

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  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    Humans are animals though. Why do they get offended when they get reminded of that fact? Smh, this is why us members of the galactic community don't like your species too much. /S

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    Maybe that's how you animals in your "galactic community" operate, but be careful... a lot of people in these parts eat animals for breakfast. For your own self preservation you might want to come up with some reasons why you're more than just an animal before we get to barbecue season.

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