Girls and Men: Gender Nouns

[Ten]

First off, I'll debase myself in giving a disclaimer that this may just be the weirdness of my oddball mindset and it's possible none of you may have any idea what I mean here.

Has anyone else noticed the difference in the way native English speakers use the words "girl" and "woman" in comparison to how they use "boy" and "man"? For females, we're more likely to use "girl" unless the woman is either (a) older than ourselves, or (b) over forty years old or so. However, we're more likely to use the word "man" unless the man is either (a) our age or younger or (b) under thirteen or so.

It's like girls stay girls for longer than boys stay boys. For example, a person is 23 years old. If female, that person is more likely to be called a girl, but if male, that person is more likely to be called a man. It's obvious that this all depends on context, but in general conversation, it seems like there's a lower minimum age for what constitutes a "man" as opposed to a "boy" than what constitutes a "woman" as opposed to a "girl".

I'm having a difficult time explaining this, but do you understand what I mean? If so, why do you think that might be? Is this just a cultural or regional thing? Is it only in America? Or is it only in my head?

[riro44]

Hmm, well my swim coach is about 23 years or so. I would called him a man but I might call his girlfriend a girl. WOAH, I JUST REALIZED THAT! YOU ARE TOTALLY RIGHT! THAT IS SO WEIRD!

[Ten]

Ah good, at least one person knows what I mean. ^^

So what do y'all think is the reason for it? I doubt any of us think girls take longer to mature. Does it have something to do with men coming off as more serious, or maybe girls coming off as more vulnerable (I hope not; God knows how I feel about that word)...? Maybe it stems from men's history of being the providers and women being more dependent, like children. I don't know. I don't have a main theory on this. Thoughts? Ideas?

[riro44]

Hmm, well I would say that when people are in their twenties, men look older than boys of about sixteen, but girls look about the say as they do when they were sixteen. It is just a thought, I don't really know why.

[Cloud]

Hm. Ten is right, but I'm not sure why. It may have to do with the fact that boys are expected to be manly and tough...? Idk.

[Ten]

mm... So physically, men are expected to beef up whereas women stay slender like girls (unless they become mommas), and culturally and behaviorally, there's a standard of boys growing into tough, capable men who can protect and take care of their girls, but girls get taken care of, like children. It's like she's not really a woman until she's a mother. hm. So it's like the Mister, Miss, Misus thing.

I feel like feminists should be getting mad right now.

[Cloud]

If my friend Abby were here, she would be. xD She's quite the feminist.

[Ten]

Why don't you ask her what she thinks about this?

[Cloud]

I would if I had any way of contacting her and if she hadn't told me how ridiculously busy she was going to be this summer.