Isn’t it tiring that men often call women “girls” instead of just calling them what they are? While it may not seem like a big deal (and most people, men or not, don’t realize when they’re doing it), its implication is that women are infantilized. And no, this is not an overly-sensitive feminist reaction.
Women are capable of all the things men are: being parents, being successful professionals, failing, being strong, being weak, getting impatient, doing generous and kind things, and so on. Our language matters, because when we say “girls,” we are using a word that implies a lack of experience.
This is why Mayim Bialik, Jewish feminist, activist, and actress (who stars on “The Big Bang Theory), made a video where she talks about why we should be careful with our language, and say what we really mean. In this case, we need to identify grown-up, female-identified people as they are:
