‘Girl’ Makes a Comeback Among Women

Near the end of Carla Hall’s “It’s a ‘Girl’ Thing for Women” (Nov. 19), she warns: “Men treading into ‘girl’ territory enter at their own risk”; this in reference to simply using the term “girl” when referring to women. Don’t worry, most “good ole boys” go by the three Bs, babes, broads and . . . well, you know. She refers to the term as being “an affectionate, even proud expres- sion--the way, for example, that some gays use ‘queer.’ ” Hall may be surprised to learn that more gays refer to each other as “girl” than “queer.”

Of all the groups those of us indoctrinated in the ‘60s were taught to empower, women have been the least grateful for the effort. Draw a chart graph comparing the rising power of women to the rise of the poverty of children--they will nearly match. Likewise the same with the building of prisons (mostly male); the rise of alcohol and drug usage among all people; the rise of divorce, sexually transmitted diseases, murderers elevated to celebrity status, increased tensions between the world’s races and religions, etc.

When people formerly without power--after obtaining power--act with wisdom, grace and humor, then, and only then, can they make the world better for everyone.

FREDERICK CLEVELAND

Hollywood

So the word “girl” is back in style. There’s a word I prefer to be called. To me it designates dignity without pretense, and maturity, but not necessarily geriatrics.

That word is “lady.” In recent years, some women have mocked this word. Perhaps it’s because they don’t want to measure up to it.

KAY E. BAUR

Los Angeles

Now that the feminist movement and the feminists are aging, they want to be called girls?

JODIE GRIFFIN

Palm Desert

The return of the word “girl” can only come as a backlash to the word “woman” being too intimidating. Girls are cute, girls are young, girls are less threatening. One can only want to be called a girl so she can think she is young and not fully grown up. The refusal to be a woman comes from allowing “woman” to be called such a disparaging word, and from men wanting women to be ethereal, underdeveloped, lacking respon- sibility.

To be a woman is scary to even our own sex. Youth and beauty are still rewarded first, over womanly accomplishments.

AUDREY HUGGINS

Hollywood