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Women and girls, men and lads

Referring to “lads”, “guys” or “girls” implies a level of friendliness or collegiality, not necessarily youth

Letters to the Editor. Illustration: Paul Scott

The Irish Times - Letters to the Editor.

Sat Jun 15 2024 - 00:07

Sir, – At the start of a summer that includes a European football championship, an Olympic Games roughly in our time zone and an Irish rugby tour of South Africa, it would be nice to hope for some imminent experiences to match the medals won by Team Ireland in the 4 x 400m relays. The smiles of the Irish athletes were as lustrous as any medal, “níos gile ná solus na gréine” you might say. The interviews afterward fizzed with the collective exuberance and joy that the experience of team sports can occasionally bestow on competitors who normally run as individuals. One commented that she was so drained she struggled to motivate herself to get to the starting line “but the girls pushed me on”.

Her teammate added that they felt they “deserved it so much” relishing the experience of going “out there with the girls, and the guys earlier (to) win a medal with the team” (“Ireland women dig deep to win medal in 4x400 relay”, Sports, June 13th).

No one seemed offended by any of that, and the comments were replayed widely due to the feel-good factor they imparted. It seems bizarre how similar terminology whereby a Minister referred to political team members as “two girls . . . sorry ladies” was construed by Justine McCarthy to be a massive “blooper”, while she deems the use of the word girls for grown women as “inherently belittling” (“A Minister describing grown women as girls is belittling”, Opinion & Analysis, June 14th). The athletes were in their twenties, the politicians in their thirties, if that matters.

I’m left wondering has the word girl gained a status where it can only be used by members of the in-group? Why is it insulting? And can one’s sports team members be referred to as “the guys” while the male adults I work with must be called “men”? It seems to be completely uncontroversial for sportsmen, from the “Bhoys” of Celtic to Bafana Bafana in South Africa, to be referred to essentially as male children. Personally I’d rather be categorised as young rather than old, if anyone wishes to spare my sensitivities. I can handle the inherent belittling involved. – Yours, etc,

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BRIAN O’BRIEN,

Kinsale,

Co Cork.

Sir, – When my wife meets her friends for a night out or a coffee she often tells me “I’m meeting the girls”, all of said girls being over 40 years of age.

When I meet my friends I tell her I’m meeting “the lads” or sometimes “the guys”, if said guys are from the Southside.

Referring to “lads”, “guys” or “girls” implies a level of friendliness or collegiality, not necessarily youth. For Justine McCarthy to accuse Neale Richmond of belittling two women is unfair and shows no attempt to put herself in his shoes. – Yours, etc,

MATTHEW GLOVER,

Lucan,

Co Dublin.

Sir, – In order to comply with Justine McCarthy’s edict, it might be best to revert to Mary Robinson’s “Mnà na hÉireann” in future. – Yours, etc,

HELEN NOONAN,

Dublin 6.

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