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From: jhs@houxa.UUCP (J.SCHERER)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: Is "woman" really better than "girl"
Message-ID: <531@houxa.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 22-Sep-84 00:15:51 EDT
Article-I.D.: houxa.531
Posted: Sat Sep 22 00:15:51 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 26-Sep-84 00:52:12 EDT
References: <390@genrad.UUCP>, <454@oddjob.UChicago.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 15

>                                      The question of what word is the
> most accurate to apply need never arise, only the question of what words
> are least likely to give offense.  If we use these words and offense is
> still taken, then it is not we who have shown bad manners.
>                       MATT CRAWFORD

Sounds good but 'taint always that easy.  Take "Ms.", for example.
I think the most ardent feminist (I hope that word's OK) would
approve of "Ms" but I know several women (three that I'm sure of)
who are very much offended by that title (if applied to them).
This leads me to be leery of using this for strangers (to which the
above was refering).  When you're dealing with something as
diverse as people, there are no definitive answers.

  John Scherer   AT&T Bell Labs