Are You a Lady? ?

I’ve noticed (on the rubbishy reality police shows) that the police often call suspected (and otherwise) criminals gentleman.

Is the word used in court etc?

Any other contributors to this part of the discussion with views on this?

I think I saw one of the now deleted posts. Popped to the shops and now it's gone. It was entirely relevant to the discussion and I am puzzled at the deletions. Surely, it goes to the heart of why the term gentleman is misused is all kinds of contexts. My point about the word gentlewoman having fallen out of common use relates to this. Why do we still use the term gentle for a man and not for a woman? Why do we use it in contexts when there is nothing gentle about the behaviour of the men in question e.g. the privileged set who see hunting and shooting as sport? Nothing gentle about killing. What about dinner-jacketed Bullingdon types at all-male functions? Nothing gentle about their raucous behaviour. And yet they would be called gentlemen by rank.

I have reported my post to HQ, asking why an opportunity for an interesting and informed discussion has been taken away.

CaravanSerai

What happened to gentlewoman - the literal gender opposite of gentleman?

Interesting.
I have a feeling that ‘gentlewoman’ was in reference to a particular type of woman; but I can’t think any further than that. An older woman perhaps? A spinster?

Thanks ixion. I quite agree

These are the posts referring to Myra Hindley et al.?
Appalling use of the reporting mechanism on this site and the incomprehensible deletion of references to a post.

I was holding out a misguided hope that this thread was, for a change, proceeding as one which was pleasant, interesting and definitely worthy of intelligent debate.

I feel strongly that HQ should be explaining in greater detail their views on this specific case.

Yes, Shep, quite recently there was a thread about Peter Sutcliffe

I c a n ‘ t b e l I e v e I t GSM to quote a well worn phrase.

Whatever is going on?

You and me both Fanny. We’ve had entire threads about people who committed the acts I mentioned.

Are we not allowed to mention mass murderers?
I’m very about the deleted posts.
Can whoever reported them explain why they did so please?

I don’t mind the use of lady or ladies and I don’t see how it’s patronising.
Using women when referring to public toilets or other areas I won’t mention, is fraught with confusion among males who aren’t sure what they are, but don’t want to use the men’s toilets.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Quotes a deleted post.

A receptionist would (or should) ask for the person’s name and company name, eg, “John Smith from Best Plumbers in reception.”

That would sound very strange nowadays.

What happened to gentlewoman - the literal gender opposite of gentleman?

Well the USA may speak the same(ish) language, but we don’t have identical cultures, thankfully.

M’am and Sir are used frequently in USA in shops, hotels, cabs etc.

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CaravanSerai

It shows that people are still riven by class distinction, making Victorian judgements about whether someone is a lady or a woman, a gentleman or a man. Dated, ridiculous and distasteful.

Not if "lady" and "gentleman" are always used.

Germanshepherdsmum

It’s frequently heard in London.

Especially in The Winchester Club, with Arfur, Terry and Dave

It shows that people are still riven by class distinction, making Victorian judgements about whether someone is a lady or a woman, a gentleman or a man. Dated, ridiculous and distasteful.

Caleo

Calling a man a gentleman is cringingly twee.

Why? It seems to me that referring to a specific adult male as a gentleman is polite. There is nothing wrong with being polite.

I agree with you Caleo.
Why are we so sensitive about being addressed as a woman (if we are) and why is it considered rude or improper? I don’t get it!
We are not living in the 18th century.