You probably shouldn’t tell someone not to use a term unless you have an alternative ready … that tends to send the message that, “You have to check with me for permission to do anything.”
One time I saw a poster object to being called “Miss”, but, when asked, didn’t have an alternative, and so agreed that “Miss” would be appropriate. Wha? That’s like saying, “It’s more important that I can tell you what to do than for you to learn manners.”
Of course, this is just how it looks from my end, and there isn’t yet an interest group for people who have been twisted into a “walk on eggshells” mentality because they’ve given in to such people too often.
You probably shouldn’t tell someone not to use a term unless you have an alternative ready … that tends to send the message that, “You have to check with me for permission to do anything.”
One time I saw a poster object to being called “Miss”, but, when asked, didn’t have an alternative, and so agreed that “Miss” would be appropriate. Wha? That’s like saying, “It’s more important that I can tell you what to do than for you to learn manners.”
Of course, this is just how it looks from my end, and there isn’t yet an interest group for people who have been twisted into a “walk on eggshells” mentality because they’ve given in to such people too often.