Hon

I work with a few women who call everyone endearments like ‘dear’, ‘hon’, ‘sweetie’.

I don’t have a problem with this the way I do with men who call women things like that.

See, women don’t single any particular gender out when they do it. They just generally call people these things.

Dudes, though, do NOT go around calling each other ‘darlin’ or ‘dear’. So…yes, it’s irritating when men do it but okay when women do.

That’s just the rule, deal with it.

But, this isn’t actually about that.

It’s about the women who do it and how they came to be women who call people, not family, not dear friends, but EVERYONE by endearments.

I am not one of those women.

I might call you ‘dude’ but that’s the extent of my familiarity with people. Sure, call my daughters ‘lovey’ and ‘baby’ but they’re my children. And I will call my husband ‘sweets’ because it amuses me to do so.

But these women who call people ‘hon’. Have they always done it? I mean, honestly, can you imagine a twelve year old saying to her teacher, “Here you go, hon,” as she hands in her homework?

At what point in a woman’s life does she become an endearment dropper?

I’m truly curious about this.

One of friend’s mom is one who calls people ‘dear’ and ‘hon.’ She’s lovely and again, it doesn’t bother me but has she always done it? I didn’t know her in her teen years and I don’t feel like I can ask if she did it back then because she probably isn’t even aware of doing it.

I don’t think her eighteen year old daughter does it but I will ask Lyss.

I remember back in my waitressing days when the women who were older than I was at the time (but most certainly younger than I am now) were endearment droppers with the customers. Maybe some of them picked it up when they got jobs like that. I suppose calling some gross dude ‘hon’ might actually make him a better tipper. I mean, anything is possible.

Maybe this fascinates me so much because I’m naturally kind of stand-offish. I will make conversation with the cashier at my local grocery store but I’m not going to call him or her ‘dear’ when I thank them for my change. I will smile through my mask and wish them well but that’s the extent of my friendliness.

And that’s okay too. You do you, Hon and I’ll sit over here with my dudes and we’ll all be happy and non-judgmental and go about our lives in bliss and harmony.