Why do feminists consider "ma'am" to be sexist?

I dont think its sexist unless he was referring to the male senators as senator and only called the women ma'am. If I was addressing senators I would call them sir and ma'am.

Wow. I thought saying sir or ma'am was polite. This woman needs to get off her high horse; I doubt the person that called her ma'am was trying to be anti feminist. I'm sure if it was a male senator he would have been referred to as "Sir". So I don't understand why this is offensive at all; the senator seemed like she was just being cocky.

If I was a Senator, I'd want to be called Senator too, especially if it was a choice between Senator and Ma'am. Should she call the general sir too, instead of general? In the south Ma'am is suppose to be respectful, but it's usually said to you when you're old. I'm from the midwest and we wouldn't be caught dead calling someone ma'am. Since I'm getting gray hair, I"m getting called ma'am by young men now, and I sometimes look around and don't know who the heck they're talking to. I don't appreciate it, and if I had another title, I'd prefer it over ma'am any day. I call them ma'am right back, somehow, it's not appreciated when I do it.

I am from the south. Ma'am is a word signifying respect, like sir. When I was a child, you always said ma'am and sir. Barbara Boxer is an idiot; yet another reason I am NOT A FEMINIST!

As I said to the other one who posted a question almost identical to this, it's a whole other realm.

In general, Ma'am would not be disrespectful, but when you're dealing with anyone with a proper title, you address them by their title.

This isn't rocket science.

I really doubt you'll ever be a General or Senator, so for you, yes, Sir and Ma'am are just fine ^5

I don't think your calling a lady ma'am is sexist at all!

You were brought up by your parents to show it as a sign of respect, so no one who knows you could think less of you.

Personally I prefer someone just called me by my name, just as I do the same thing, it's when someone demands that I call them sir, or ma'am that I get I tad irked as I don't like being told what to do period!

Uh, are you really under the idiotic delusion that Boxer is the ONLY feminist in the whole world? SHE objected to 'ma'am' -- that doesn't mean all the rest of us do.

IF the general was addressing the male Senators as "Senator" then switched when talking to her, then he was wrong, and she was right to point it out to him.

Whoever told you that equality means any of those things you list was lying to you. But then, no one with any brain at all would have believed them.

She asked to be called "Senator" because that's what she is. It was kind of weird, ma'am isn't really offensive, and in the military that's how they address people "sir/ma'am" so he didn't mean any offense by it. Some people are just really hung up on titles.

I don't think this is about sexism - I think this is about respecting titles.

I know several doctors who get kind of uppity if you refer to them as "Mr." and "Mrs.". On the other hand, I've seen doctors deliberately omit their title when they wanted to be left along (people will tend to ask random medical questions if they know you are a doctor).

And yeah, the same doctors. They want you to use the title right up until they don't tell you what the title is. At least I've never seen any of them get mad when the deliberately withheld the title!

I think it's silly. As much respect as I have for the Senator, it was a cheap parlor trick.

It made me cringe to see her speak to him in that manner.

Her tone of voice was the more offensive than anything he said.

He was actually referring to her as ma'am as he would any higher ranking female officer.. it is what he is taught.

As for her "earning" that position... she didn't earn it, she was elected to it.. that man she so unapologetically berated, he EARNED his title.

Ironically enough, protecting her from countries whose governments would like nothing more than to put her in a burka and refuse her any rights to a position such as her current office.

Of course, they are not the enemy... he is.. Ah, the mind of the far left.

I'd like to know if she has ever used sir or ma'am to address anyone...