[Kay-D]

I guess my beef/question is why grown women in the South still address another woman by ‘Miss’? I know several women in their 30’s, classy and well-educated, but when they open their mouths and call me or another older woman ‘Miss Mary or Miss Barbara,’ it makes me want to gag – that’s fine if an 8 year old girl does it or if I was in my 80’s, but what is it with liberated grown women? I guess they think it’s their Southern manners and they’re being charmin’.

User Detail :  

Name : Kay-D, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Episcopalian, Age : 60, City : Jacksonville, State : FL, Country : United States, Occupation : retired, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Cal19582]

Miss is simply a formal way to address an unmarried woman. Miss has now been mostly replaced with the more politically correct Ms., but it is hardly offensive. A little old-fashioned perhaps, but offensive? Have good manners become so rare that they are now offensive?

User Detail :  

Name : Cal19582, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 46, City : Lakewood, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Monika]

I am 29 and I call every older woman Ms. so-and-so. I also answer yes and no ma’am. Those same women will use those terms with me as well and sometimes they are 20 years or more older than I am. Using such language is a sign of respect, and displays of respect, specifically those that are public, should never be seen as offensive. Maybe you are offended because you feel that they are calling attention to your age and you would prefer them not to. If so, you should say that and not put down good, respectful, Southern women.

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Name : Monika, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 29, City : Houston, State : TX, Country : United States, Occupation : Programmer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Lynne19799]

I grew up in the Detroit area, but I moved to Florida in my 20’s and have been here over 20 years. Ever since I got here, in some circumstances I have been called ‘Miss Lynne’. It isn’t a form of address used only by women or only by younger people to older ones. It’s also used in situations where ‘Ms Last Name’–and yes, they do know and use the title ‘Ms’ in the South–seems too formal, and just a first name might be thought too casual. Or it can be an affectionate way to speak to a friend, similar to calling a man buddy or bubba or brother. In the South, social behavior does tend to be somewhat more formal than in other parts of the country. I am sure there are some Southerners who might agree with you that it’s low class and unliberated and ignorant behavior, but most of them would just think it polite, and most other people, too–there are a lot of Northern transplants down here, and I don’t think I’ve ever come across anyone who finds it offensive. If you were in Japan, would you ‘have a beef’ about being expected to remove your shoes when entering a building? I think you’d probably just accept that that’s how it’s done there.

User Detail :  

Name : Lynne19799, Gender : F, City : Gainesville, State : FL, Country : United States, 

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