"Girl, girl! Hey, girl! GIRL!"
I was at the computer putting in an order. While I heard the man as he called across the restaurant I didn't realize he was talking to me until I got a tap on the shoulder. The reason was unimportant, in fact I can't even remember. He probably needed ranch, or decided he wanted the coleslaw over the baked beans, or something else trivial. What I do remember is realizing that "Girl, girl! Hey, girl! GIRL!" had actually been for me. I was obviously less than impressed.
Among the things that really bother me, being objectified is right up there at the top. And I'd say being referred to as "girl" is right there at the top of being objectified. Especially when I took the time to quite obviously right my name - as well as a nickname - on a napkin carefully placed on the center of your table. Yes, I have a vagina. Yes, I am a girl. But in case you didn't know, they give girls names now and amazingly my parents decided to give me one. I'm really luck like that. Even if you don't want to use my quite obviously provided name, there are about a million other things you could say other than girl. I could have handled miss, ma'am, or even honey. But not girl. Would you wander across a restaurant saying, "hey woman"? No, of course you wouldn't. It is apparently fine however to call a 25-year-old woman you don't know girl as you rush across a crowed Hooters. Thanks for that.
Now, I realize most of you would never do this. Yet, some of you probably will. Please, I beg of you, please refrain. Not only do you sound like an idiot, but you look like a total pig. A douchy, Hooters loving pig.
Hey Sauce,
ReplyDeleteMaybe I am getting this all wrong, but don't you think that 90% of the customers coming into Hooters are objectifying the servers there. Or to put it another way isn't the Hooters Philosophy to use this to their advantage?
Maybe as a man I just don't get the dirogatory feeling from "Hey Girl". I am sure the customer just forgot your name and is using familiar slang as so many do. I still get surprised when people don't call me "Hey man" when they don't know my name. Instead it went to "Sir" a few years ago..when does that happen ;)
Overall I love your writing style- just dislike some of the "touchiness" of some of it. Of course I am just reading this so there may have been context I am missing that you see that makes such naming derogatory.
Keep your head up as its a good job as long as you can deal with the soul-draining of it all.
I was currently in the local Hooters recently and I've noticed the new "uniform" with midriff exposed. I knew the manager was there but is this really true? Exposed midriff to the Hooters uniform?!
ReplyDeleteDid you "right" your name....or "write" your name???
ReplyDelete