Ladies, do you get offended when a man you don't know, calls you a pet name?

That's how I am with 'kiddo'

Ha ha. I know how you feel. I used to hate it from both sexes. I would cringe when someone called me 'babe' or 'darl' or 'sweetie' but in Australia people do it all the time. I'd rather be called those names by a guy than 'mate'. Actually, I did have a guy call me mate once, and I glared at him so coldly he looked very ashamed of himself ha ha ha! I don't really mind it anymore. I'm used to it now. I don't mind women calling me those terms of endearment, but with men 'sweetie' does make me cringe... I would rather be called 'hun' or 'darl' which are more common in Australia. And I don't like the word 'sweetheart' either, only my Dad ever calls me that, so if anyone else says it I feel quite repulsed by them. Strange the effect words can have on us! Also with nicknames, I usually prefer to be called by my full name Olivia, but often people will shorten it to 'Liv', which I don't mind , depending on the person. I just think 'Olivia' or at least 'Livi' sounds nicer than 'Liv'. But I've never been called 'Oli' which I am thankful for. Urgh that sounds like a dog's name :P

It's good that you have gotten use to it! All while reading this I kept thinking, of what I almost put in my own answer so I'll say it since I'm thinking it again. I would rather have a man call me a bitch that a pet name! It's that bad for me. At least I take bitch as a compliment. Yes, I have a messed up train of thought, I admit it. Sometimes I don't like women calling me them either.

What's funny about you not wanting to be called Liv as a nn, my nn is Di (Live & Die LOL). I do think Olivia is a very pretty name though and just because I love the sound of it, I would want others to call me by my full name! lol

It can be used by some men to belittle women, but it's not used exclusively for that purpose.

Fair enough. Note to self, "don't call Red 'sweetie'" :-)

Yeah Tom, take his advice, (but only after you read my conversation with him). Didn't you know you were in need of help from a male who hasn't the first clue on how to approach a lady?

It's funny because if you read between the lines on his comment to you, it's very transparent, even though he thinks otherwise.

It's sad how juvenile you are. It's really time you run along.

What have I just stumbled into here? Haha :-)

A mess. ;-) This guy was on a roll & why he chose you of all people I don't know.

Maybe he made the mistake of thinking that I'm already a woman hater. I've already been accused of that by some people on this site! Haha :-)

lol well I was thinking that but I thought what sensible (never mind)...person wouldn't see you were joking around?! He probably just assumed you were anyway. You've been accused of being a woman hater? you? lol

Just by morons who misread my comments, and add their own 2c in to make an argument about nothing. You're far too intelligent for that, which is why you haven't accused me of any such thing.

Yeah, you are far from being anything even resembling a woman hater. I said it a long time ago. You are the most respectful guy (on your thoughts of women & how you treat them) I know on here and that still stands.

Why because you won't let anyone talk to you crazy, and because you stand up for yourself? You tell it like it is, but I've never seen you truly be disrespectful to anyone. Oh well no sweat off your back, I already know this lol

I can't help but laugh at you telling that guy that :-)
The past couple of days I think have been my worst ever. I haven't been in a great mood, so yeah it showed when I had little tolerance for an idiot.

Well this one guy has been twisting my words like crazy. He's also one of those people who is extremely intolerant of religion and thinks that anyone who believes in God lacks intelligence. I think I've officially ran out of the patience for dealing with anti-theist extremists.

Oh one of those. I've been losing my cool with the ones who make it a point to start arguments on a poll they wouldn't otherwise be on. I'm tired of the double standard of "we can harass you, call you ignorant & accuse you of living in a fantasy world oh but don't dare say anything to us." or else we are deemed as "typical Christians who are taught to hate everyone." Hell is starting to break loose :-)

It amuses me (right up until the point that it pisses me off) that these people, whose atheism apparently makes them intelligent, can't see what hypocrites they are being.

I honestly don't know who it was but called me a pet name within the first few words of a (sarcastic) reply. All I said was, you lost me at the pet name. I'm not even going to debate with someone who finds that funny or amusing!

True! That's the hardest part about all of this. Never knowing how other people will decipher what you said. That's why I tend to add the smilies so they know I am not serious. I don't care how everyone takes things, just those I like (well and those I don't know but am trying to give supportive advice to). You can bet though, that every time I put LOL or anything similiar, I am laughing! I love to laugh & do it all the time! :-)

Whether people are friends or mates, it's a road that always needs to be open.

Sorry to hear that, Kitten.

Terrible, you guys are terrible to me! waaaaaa :'(

I love it when a woman I don't know calls me a pet name.

Of course, he takes it as a compliment! :-p

It's very rarely ever meant to be offensive. I don't usually do it. I only really call little girls "sweetheart" or "sweetie" in the same way that I call little boys "buddy". My nephew gets called "buddy" all the time by me and my neice is always "sweethreart" or "sweetie".

I understand that it's not usually meant to offend but for some reason it seems to rub us ladies the wrong way. If I know the guy, I don't mind. It's kinda creepy when I don't know him.

You calling your niece & nephew that is perfectly fine, sweet even. I have a habit of calling kids (mine & those I am really close to) babe. Just had a funny thought, I wonder if we called guys things like stud, or even baby how they would feel about it....ones we don't know that is. :-)

I would love it! Sure beats what they usually call me :-)

Call me kitten again and stud muffin it is! :-)

Sure thing, Kitten :-)

Ok, stud muffin (that's too much typing) baby it is ;-)

:-D

Yes, Snuggums, it irritates the crap out of me! :-D