RebYidd23,
It’s outdated and could be seen as specifically excluding people who are not ladies or gentlemen.
Not outdated, just changed meaning and usage. Languages evolve along with cultures. Lady is a traditional English title, but in 21st Century America, it’s a nicety.
It’s racist to call a woman a girl or a man a boy!
Context is important, man! Context!
How is it racist to call a girl a woman or a boy a man? Has this ever been used in a racist context?
CTLawyer provided an example above.
But were boys ever called men or girls called women?
All the time, usually prepended with “young.”
Joseph,
Is referring to women (or men) a negative thing?
No, the negativity comes by exclusion, e.g., that woman is not a lady…
Lilmod, I find it exceedingly rare, especially in frum society, for adult males to be called boys.
I guess frum society doesn’t have the “good ole boys” network that many small southern towns do.