Wia R.

My pet peeve is when the ladies on the show or outside guests, are called "you guys"? What a turn off and I change channels. Gosh, you have a platform to change the way we see women (not as guys, but as ladies, women, folks etc) by dropping the word "you guys, guys, when addressing women etc) and embrace gender specific. When did women change their gender identity. It saddens me that everyone who promotes gender equality still don't get it! This tells me that women/men really don't embrace and respect the gender of a women and the children are leaning the same social language. A great article which was released in the Europe Journal of Political Theory, not sure the release date or its origin. The use of ‘guys’ to describe both sexes started catching on in the 1980s, during a period where women were publicly asserting their rights. If men wouldn’t like being called ‘gals’, then the take-away message is: there must be something wrong with being a woman. Of course, this is a message most are familiar with: you cry like a girl (what not to do), man up (what to do). What does this message do to women? Humans of all genders have a need to be seen and to be recognized. The European Journal of Political Theory, a high-profile research forum, found that without recognition, “it is very difficult, if not impossible, for an individual to develop and maintain the corresponding positive attitudes towards oneself of self-trust, self-respect, and self-esteem.” This is no surprise. Studies have already shown that women’s self-esteem plummets during teenage years: “Although boys and girls report similar levels of self-esteem during childhood, a gender gap emerges by adolescence, in that adolescent boys have higher self-esteem than adolescent girls.” Indeed, there are a whole slew of negative self-images that girls adopt. The National Association of Social Workers found that “girls are far more likely than boys to feel ‘self-conscious’ (44 percent to 19 percent), ‘embarrassed’ (53 percent to 32 percent), and ‘less confident’ (32 percent to 16 percent).” Girls’ low self-esteem could be linked to a long list of causes, but could it be that, terms like ‘guys’ may have something to do with it? When others do not recognize women for who they are (females), it is difficult for women to recognize and accept themselves. The European Journal concludes that recognition is “vitally important.” Without it “the individual psyche would remain seriously deficient.” ‘Guys’ does not recognize women; it also excludes them. And like the need to be seen, the need to be included is important for healthy brain development. The brain actually responds the same way to physical pain as it does to social rejection, aka an unfulfilled need for inclusion. Fear, anxiety, anger, and sadness do not trigger this response, only physical pain and lack of inclusion do.