Hi Girls,
How are we all? I had a PM from one of the mods today saying this:
âI see you called one of the other girls chicken in a post in relationships. I know it was probably just a term of enderment (especially since you live in a different country and I don't know what terms you use there) but here it could be taken as derogatory. Many times its hard to tell whether someone is being taken seriously or not on the internet since its hard to sense sarcasm. So if you could just try not to use that word.â
I just thought I would let everyone know that I wasnât using the word âchickenâ in any sense of sarcasm or rudeness, here in Australia âchickenâ is the same as using the word honey, darling, sweety, chick etc sorry if I confused or hurt anyoneâs feelings! I wont use this word anymore, and once again im real sorry!
Luv yaâs all!
Dani :)
(thanks to the mod for her advice :) )
thanks! I felt really weird about being called a chicken all the time.
It could also be a chance for people to broaden eurocentric attitudes and not expect people from other countries to abandon their own slang because you didn't understand it.
yeah, that's a good point, naivete.
Although, really I don't like any of the eurocentric terms of endearment from girlmom either, sweetie honey... because tone doesn't really come across online and they just end up sounding insincere, and sometimes even condescending.
But you don't outright ban the use of them, do you? It's pretty closed minded and eurocentric to expect every member to conform to Western culture when there's people from so many different countries that use this website, it seems the better approach would be to educate yourself on it instead of outright banning it and asking them to conform to yours.
i'm the one who sent the message. Most terms of endearment can sound very condesending over the internet. Even irl it can sound condesending. I'm not trying to say only use the words we use but maybe to think about how it can sound and pick another one. I use hun everyonce and awhile and if it was taken offensively or in a derogatory way i would stop.
Also, I think that it's important not to use terms that are offensive/derrogatory in any cultures. Chicken to me is used as a term to mean unbrave or coward. If I hope that if any of the eurocentric slang that is used on girl mom is offending anyone they'd let us know, too.
its ok, im fine with not using particular words, yup i would rather not use them then know that it could be affending girlmoms yup yup
Hi dani, yr from my home state, I spent the first 20 odd years of my life in Perth.
Just to back up, yes, Chicken is akin to calling someone love or pet.
Asking Aussies not to use their words you are going to need to police a hell of a lot of words that you US folks use without thinking, some of which can have very different meanings over here.
Anything affectionate could be construed as condescending.
UScentricty bugs me, why is it always the other that has to bend?
So no love, no chica, no babe, no mama, no hon, no sweetheart, no pumpkin?
I think we're richer for having more kind words floating round, and I'll stick to calling folks chicken if the mood takes me.
I thought it was sweet, and I like the loving names...they make me feel more included. like girlmom is this tight-knit group of women who all come from very different walks of life but we're still united. i don't know if that makes sense but i think intent is the important thing..and a little bit of common sense can show you were the persons intentions lie.
On the note, when you replied to my post Dani...i think you made it very obvious that it was a term of endearment and i appreciated it. it even made me smile.
Word. I think I might even just join you, chicken ;)
Thanks Girls :)
makes me a feel better that i havent affended too many ppl!
xoxo