Home› Politics & Debate
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Options

Birds - offensive?

BillieTheBotBillieTheBot Posts: 8,721 Bot
in Politics & Debate
Last night, I was listening to one of these Irish talk shows on the radio. You know the ones - hysterical people phone in the station and shout, I mean, talk to one another in a "discussion" guided by a deranged host. You've all probably come across one on radio before.

Anyway, the topic of discussion was "is it offensive to refer to a woman as a bird?". Is it offensive to refer to women in this way, or is it harmless fun? What do you make of it?

Personally... I just say I wouldn't choose to call a woman a "bird".
Beep boop. I'm a bot.
«1

Comments

  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Whenever I've heard it used its usually 'tell your bird to do this' like the girlfriend/wife/concubine/missus belongs to that person. I don't like being called bird its irritating.
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Soooooo 70s...
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think there's far more offensive terminology than "bird", I can let that one slide...

    I don't like the "bird-brain" connotations though. :p
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i was all set to join in on this one....thinking that it was real birds
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hmmmm. I think Foghorn Leghorn could be if you got him drunk. He's got that southern thing going on, I'll bet he knows loads of racist jokes.




    I've not heard the term birds for awhile but I don't think it's particularly offensive.
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Depends on the context innit.

    If you're talking with a friend about, say a common mate and you ask "is he still seeing that bird from Sheffield?", I don't see anything wrong with it.

    Referring to women directly as 'birds' or asking somebody 'how's your bird'?' is different in my view.
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    \
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'd find "bird" offensive as its a funny word to me :p However, lets say being called "chick" for the sake of it, I don't find that offensive at all. I get called that, I call people that, I address my closest friend as hey chick all the time. I am "eds woman or eds chick" His friends wives are "so and so's woman/chick" its just a word.

    Now if it were, hey whats up you nasty disease ridden slutty greasy whorebag, by some random person, that would be a different story.
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    no but then i'm not easily offended by things like that.

    around here you get called a duck and allsorts so it's fine with me.
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    stargalaxy wrote:
    "is it offensive to refer to a woman as a bird?".
    .
    stupiq7oj.gif
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I concur Mr Roll, like most things it depends on the context and the lady/bird in question.
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Has anyone actually used the word 'bird' for a women without being ironic in the last 25 years? Sounds like something an elderly Cockney might come out with...
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    morrocan roll wrote:
    stupiq7oj.gif

    Mr. Roll deserves a big round of applause here *claps*
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    my_name wrote:
    Mr. Roll deserves a big round of applause here *claps*
    Believe me, this wasn't the most stupid debate they had on that show. It got worse later on...
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ladybird.jpg

    a lady-bird that i can consume :flirt:
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well I prefer the term 'lady'... But 'bird' is less offensive than 'chick' or 'bitch'.
  • Options
    BunnieBunnie Posts: 6,099 Master Poster
    i get called bird...call other girls birds, and even refer to myself as a bird. doesn't bother me at all
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm so modern and cool, I call my guy a bird. Only when talking about him with other guys though.
    Wow.
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't think it's offensive...nor do I think chick is offensive. I don't use either, I just call them "girls"
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Voodoo Ray wrote:
    Has anyone actually used the word 'bird' for a women without being ironic in the last 25 years? Sounds like something an elderly Cockney might come out with...

    Yeah...what's ironic about it :confused:

    It's just a casual term for women like 'dude' for guys, plenty of people use it. 'Woman' is too formal and 'girl' sounds odd talking about people over a certain age. Other slang terms are either american (chick) or considered offensive (bitch). So 'bird' is the natural colloquialism to use.
    Aladdin wrote:
    Depends on the context innit.

    If you're talking with a friend about, say a common mate and you ask "is he still seeing that bird from Sheffield?", I don't see anything wrong with it.

    Referring to women directly as 'birds' or asking somebody 'how's your bird'?' is different in my view.

    What's the difference? It's either interchangable with 'girl' or 'woman' generally or it isn't. I really can't see why using it in the presence of a "common" person (a far more derogatory term) would be justified whereas saying "look at those birds over there" isn't :confused:
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i can't realy call them girls ...i'd get arrested.
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    urggh i hate being called a chick. :yuck:

    not because i think it's derogatory or anything, it's just cheesy imo.
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    lucifer devil wrote:
    urggh i hate being called a chick. :yuck:
    "Chick" just sounds like one of those words you'd hear in a US teenage film like American Pie, for instance.
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm happy being called whatever, because I think it's just nice.
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    stargalaxy wrote:
    "Chick" just sounds like one of those words you'd hear in a US teenage film like American Pie, for instance.

    i wouldn't mind it from a girl but if a lad called me it i'd be a bit like.... :wave:
  • Options
    SkiveSkive Posts: 15,283 Skive's The Limit
    I use the term 'Bird' all the time, along with mort/malt, rakli etc. I don't think they're any more offensive than calling a man a bloke.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    lucifer devil wrote:
    i wouldn't mind it from a girl but if a lad called me it i'd be a bit like.... :wave:
    Oddly enough, my female friends refer to me as "chick" from time to time.
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Skive wrote:
    I use the term 'Bird' all the time, along with mort/malt, rakli etc. I don't think they're any more offensive than calling a man a bloke.


    what do mort/malt and rakli mean? i guess they must be regional dialect and am guessing they mean along the lines of someone being female. :p
  • Options
    SkiveSkive Posts: 15,283 Skive's The Limit
    lucifer devil wrote:
    what do mort/malt and rakli mean? i guess they must be regional dialect and am guessing they mean along the lines of someone being female. :p

    Cacker talk. Mush. :)
    Weekender Offender 
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I find it really offensive cause well:

    Bird=Pet=Owned and i dont like to think to my-self that i am "owned"
Sign In or Register to comment.