I went shopping with my one-year-old son today.

[ZombieHorde]

While we were in the checkout aisle, the woman behind us was smiling at my son and appreciating his cuteness. This happens often, and I think it is perfectly acceptable. Looking at cute kids is fine.

While this was happening, I wondered if this is related to the fact many adult woman in our society are called "girls." Girls are kids, and kids are OK to watch in our society. I wonder if it is related to "Girls Gone Wild?"

What do you think? Was I just bored and over thinking the situation?

[seabeyond]

1. this is my POV. i have told the boys, cause they would get embarrassed. now they call my attention

to it if i overlook it.

i dont only look at the baby, i will actually interact. why? the baby is just starting in life looking to outside stimulation and older, socialization. i have a job in that. the baby or child makes eye contact with me, if i were to just walk on without any interaction i feel i am dismissing the baby or child. (one is really still a baby). i think it is so important to confirm that babies existence in the world. not pretend that it does not exist and is of no importance.

so i always will interact and even touch, keeping eye contact yet talk to the parent to assure i am in no way infringing or anything else. i have never had anything but positive come from it. plus it is comfirmation and validation that their little someone is special. as it is. and makes parents feel good, which they should and i want.

girl implies young. i believe, and what i cannot get many to own up to, is growing old is so abhorrent for females that the mere word of women is thought to be insulting somehow. girls or ladies is used. woman is seldom if ever used. i was at fault, too. i had to train myself to use the word woman. both my boys have already learned to use girls or ladies for grown up women. that is what was the startling eye opener. once i got comfortable with the word women, i really feel so much different, and better, and empowered. all in a word. i didnt even consider that a repercussion. but it is.

i was on a car lot talking to a woman. she says.... i am the only girl here. (i had just started training myself, and we hear it often once we notice). i interrupted and said.... woman, you are the only woman here. you are not a child, but a grown woman. she flung her hand to shoe my comment away. then stopped. looked at me and said, yes. thank you.

girls gone wild. is girls.... the sexualization to feed the male on our youth with their sexuality. girls. women.... even young women, are past it and dont do that shit, for the most part. but young drunk girls just stepping into their sexuality are stupid enough to do it and grown men exploit it and yes.... it is all about .... girls.

how about that. lol.

[Irishonly]

4. I agree with you and I am wondering how girls came to be accepted

I watch Food Network and Anne Burrell (sp) makes me cringe when she talks about the "girls" winning. I don't get it. OTOH she refers to the male chefs as boys and I don't get that either.

[redqueen]

2. I dunno.

I've been thinking about this and I think it has more to do with the fetishization of youth.

The most popular porn (by a very wide margin) is teen/barely legal stuff. Advertising masturbation material to men using the word 'girls' just seems like basic marketing.

[LadyHawkAZ]

3. Not just OK to watch

OK to boss around, OK to tell what to do. Doesn't know her own mind, doesn't really have a mind, because she's just a girl (child).

OK to own, in other words. OK to control. Children don't know what's best for them and need to be guided. Or punished.

It predates GGW by a few millennia, though.