slang - How derogatory is “chicks” when used to refer to women?


A comment in “What is a feminine version of guys?” got me wondering: how derogatory is the use of chicks to refer to women (either in general, or to a specific group). To me (I'm a man), it was quite disrespectful, so that it may be some slang term you use with male buddies (“See the hot chick over there?”), but I would not use the term in presence of women: neither in direct address (“Hi chicks!”, as I would say “Hi gals!” to a group of friends) nor when referring to other women.


How derogatory is chick? In what contexts would you use it, as a man? And when used by a woman?



Answer



As a man, I still consider it derogatory and would not use it in any normal conversation. I will agree that it's quite mild as a term, not a major insult, but it's still derogatory.


It's originally a slang term, derived (if I'm not mistaken) from the older British slang of "bird" for a woman. (Thus, young woman = "chick".) It was almost invariably used between men, with the "bird" being a form of quarry to be hunted, and the term still has that connotation. It is definitely dismissive; the person referred to that way is not on an even status with the speaker.


As far as groups that refer to themselves with it, such as the cited "Dixie Chicks" and "Chicks with Picks", I consider them to have understood the connotations and intentionally used it ironically. I'll refer to the organization as they prefer, but personally I still wouldn't walk up to a random member of "Chicks with Picks" and say, "Hey chick, come over here." At least, if I did I wouldn't expect a positive reaction. :)


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