Terms of Gender in Malta

I Enjoy Being a Girl

In Malta, I'm still a girl. And I like it.

In reality, at my age I'm almost past being a woman. But here in Malta, there's less of a "hang-up" about what to call females. In the US, we call any female past the age of 18 a woman. If younger, maybe we call them young women. That's fine; it reflects the progress women have made regarding how society views them.

But here in Malta, many of my female EFL colleagues call each other girls when they refer to each other or female students in their classes. The girls range from age 14 to 30's or more. It doesn't seem like a bad thing. Everyone knows that someone is their 30s is a grown woman. But even women in their 40s, 50s and beyond talk about "going out with the girls." And it sounds fine. It doesn't seem degrading to me. If fact, it would sound weird to say "going out with the women."

On the other hand, everyone knows that women in Malta have a long way to go to reach the equality women have achieved in other Western societies. Perhaps a girl by any other name would be preferable.

But for right now, I'm an expat girl in Malta.

Comments

[Sennuwy (an ancient Egyptian name)]

Hey there girlfriends Dee and Alex, thanks for your cute comments. And Alex, stop making fun of me! xx Ilene

[dee owen]

We have a "Ladies lunch" here once a month. But when its a spur of the moment get together, we say "girls outing" or some such thing! Probably the formal vs. not so formal.
I like to consider myself still a girl, even though hitting the upper age level...so Ilene, you're a 'girl', no doubt!

[Alexandra Claes]

Oh come on Ilene --- I think you can comfortably register for the "chicky babe" arena :)

[Sennuwy (an ancient Egyptian name)]

Hy Lyn,

Imagine how I feel: Every year I have to teach beautiful girls from France, Spain and Russia who all stay between the ages of 18 and 25--while I'm a fat year older each time! Ilene

[Sennuwy (an ancient Egyptian name)]

Morning Ilene,

Calling ourselves girls has become fashionable here. It's mainly because none of us want to grow old!

We talk about a girly gossip, a girly night out, girly clothes, etc.

In a few more years we'll be talking about our girly incontinence thongs, pink girly zimmer frames, etc!

Lyn

[Sennuwy (an ancient Egyptian name)]

Hi Ann--thanks a lot for your comment. I was just thinking--before I read your post--that being called a "lady" would make me sound old or it would be too posh. I guess--you, too!--Ilene

[Annmucc]

I realised about this fact a few weeks ago. I was trying out a presentation in front of colleagues, and I referred to a female in a photo as this girl. One of my colleagues stopped me and said that's impolite! I said should I say woman? She actually told me that it should be lady (which to me sounds very posh, and what someone might call me to tell me off!). It was quite incomprehensible to me as I consider all those words as the same. I guess it must be a Maltese issues then!