Words for Women

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I think I would be quite pleased if a stranger refers to me as a lady! I personally don't really like woman because it just makes me feel a bit.....I don't know old maybe? (I am only 27 that's not old is it?!) I think I tend to use the word girls for those of a similar age to me although I do feel slightly awkward as to what term to use. I have to say the suggestion of "female" made me chuckle, it reminded me of the tv programme Friday Night Dinner (for people who haven't seen it the father always refers to potential girlfriends for his son as "females" in a slightly creepy voice).

This is exactly the kind of thing that makes me want to hang out with men instead. I don't understand getting offended over identifying someone's gender.

I seem to be the only person among my friends who seems to refer to female persons of my own age as women, and female persons of ages around 20 and younger as girls. Don't know why I do it, but I feek awkward saying "girl" to women of my own age, and that is even though I would never EVER refer to myself as "man", not even "young man". Most women don't seem to mind, but my male friends tell me they find it weird, refering to largely every woman they could imagine having intercourse with as a girl. Don't know why, I find that a little bit lacking in respect.

I'm a girl and I don't even know what to use.

I've been finding myself and my friends growing up. Where everyone used to be a boy or girl, some now are woman and men. I like using girl and boy, just because I've used them all my life. I still associate the words 'woman' and 'men' with those fearful older people who seem twice your length.

Lady... I don't like the sound of it. I've found that most guys who use that word are only trying to impress (or looking for sex). When speaking in real life, I just try to avoid calling people by a gender-specific name, which isn't that hard at all. You can replace it with 'you' most of the time, which even seems more personal.
When talking about someone, it's mostly:
- Below 21: "a girl/boy I know"
- Over 21 : "a man/woman I know"

I prefer "Lady" over Woman. Hey, Woman! Blah! And even worse "Hey, Female!" And Girl is only for those younger than 20. I hate to hear "Hey, Girl!"

I once called a female a Lady and I was corrected because they didn't behave lady like so now I don't really use the word in front of people. I just go "Hello" and then talk.

Which word to use...

As an East Coaster, usually "Ma'am" sounds polite and lacks negative connotations for the most part. I suspect it works okay in the South.

But I suspect it doesn't work well in, say, Seattle because it sounds too alien there.

How about my name??

If you would call a male 'Sir' then call a female 'Ma'am'
If you would call a guy by his first name then call a female by the same.

Basically, use the same for female as you would for male, and if in doubt, err on the side of TOO formal rather than not formal enough.

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I do take offence to some extent but I honestly dont know any other girl who does. Heres why: lady to me seems rather formal. The male equivalent is gentlemen which is not used very often. So why do we seem to use lady like 20x more often? Its because women have a higher expectation to act accordly in a more formal, better manners, more tactfulness, more socially refined way. That annoys me. When someone calls me a lady, theres an expectation that I should act refined. Guess what...I dont care to act refined. Thats how I see it.

Meh...you can use lady if u want to. Id say...just use gender neutral terms to refer to people even if its a group of females and you should be safe.