Re: What is the appropriate term

Interesting question. I think it depends alot on who you are addressing and who is doing the addressing!

It seems teenagers refer to each other as "kids", when my peers would have been insulted to be called such; we considered ourselves past the "kid" age.

And now that I come from a slightly (!) older perspective, I find myself addressing everyone as "hon" like the old lady I swore I'd never be! But you can get away with it addressing strangers ONLY as you age.

I imagine you know what your own age group prefers, but if not, always err on the side of caution..."chick" is rather juevenile...I know, as I also used it when "chick"-age myself! It seems that young people also address both sexes as "guys" (but so do I, leftover from my youth) and lately, "dudes" which was reserved for dudes in my youth.

But you can't go wrong with "woman" or "lady" for anyone over 18-21. I always approach a group of women by referring to them as "ladies". Tweet