Question for women: which would offend you more? (or less)?

Depends on who it is that's calling me this, my guy-friend calls almost every girl he's friends with "Ma'am". But in a polite way, everyone knows he would never try to be disrespectful. He calls me "Little Lady" and I don't mind it, it really doesn't bother me.

If someone I didn't know were to call me that, offensive or not, I wouldn't really like it, I'd prefer "Miss".

As for "C*nt", that also depends on the context. If one of my close female friends called me that, they're obviously joking around. We have a very loose humor, and all tend to laugh when sexual themed jokes or comments are made.

If a stranger on the street called me a "C*nt" I'd be pretty pissed off, and might just pop them in the jaw.

I'd be more offended with the word "C*nt".

I'd be more offended by rude words. Ma'am is not exactly being disrespectful. Rude words attack your personality and being disrespectful just speaks more about the one who says it to a woman.

"Ma'am" is considered the polite term to use when addressing an adult woman -- more so in the South. Kids raised in the South are taught to ma'am any adult women older than their own mother.

The 'c' word is obviously offensive.

However, "ma'am," can also be used offensively. It's the tone and intent, not the word itself.

Using rude words IS intrinsically disrespecful, it isn't either-or

I find the c-word INCREDIBLY disrespectful. It's crude slang for vagina, and I am not my vagina. I am a person.

Ma'am, however, I am not at all offended by. I find it as an old-fashioned sort of courtesy. Usually when people say this they don't mean to offend me, they're just trying to be polite.

ma'am is not offensive in any way

the other is definitely bad