Is it ok to call her babe or baby?

[Yggdrasil]

All right, this may sound a bit strange but this is something I always wanted to ask, so here we go:

When I first met my wife and we became closer, I called her names like hun, hunny, sweetheart etc.

After a few months, she told me she likes to be called babe or baby.

I was raised in an environment where calling a woman babe or baby was considered demeaning, so I had a realy hard time at first getting over my conditioning.

Now of course I am used to it and I know she doesn't find it demeaning or insultive, yet, I have heard from many other women of all age groups and ethnic backgrounds, they don't like to be called that way.

What are your opinions on this?

[BillyGalbreath]

I call all chick friends babe, and only my closest friends baby. None seem to care.

[TheBlackFlux]

I do call that my gf pretty often, although it's just an used english catch-phrase in my language. Thought I'd add my 2 cents.

[Junket]

You would hate New Orleans.

Everyone calls everyone "babe" or "baby".

Literally.

Complete strangers.

Male to male, male to female, female to male, female to female.

Old to young, young to old, doesn't matter.

[BillyGalbreath]

You would hate New Orleans.

Everyone calls everyone "babe" or "baby".

Not to sound racist, but I think that's the older black race in general. My old boss was a 60 year old black man and he called us all (guys) babe or baby. Was weird at first, but its just how he was.

[Junket]

Not to sound racist, but I think that's the older black race in general. My old boss was a 60 year old black man and he called us all (guys) babe or baby. Was weird at first, but its just how he was.

I would agree that it's more the older generation, as well as part of the black culture here. But I've been in predominantly white areas of New Orleans where I'd still get called "baby". Mostly older white women in those cases.

Then again, back home in Philly, at the tech school we had 40 something white male teacher call us "babe".

[crosewood]

i'm ok with being called "babe" as long as i can call my hubby by the same name..

"Hey babe.."
"Yes, babe?"

[Gigabitch]

Only my husband can call me babe. It's a privilege.

[Yggdrasil]

Ok, well it seems none of the people who responded have a problem with it.

I must have been talking to women who are conditioned like I was and didn't overcome the conditioning.

Thank you all for your feedback.

[vashti]

We are cautioned against using terms of endearment in the hospital, and I suppose some people may get uppity about it. However, nursing seems to bring out the maternal insticnt in me, and I find myself doing it rather commonly. I've never had anyone complain about it.

Personally, I don't mind, depending on context. Surely most people can tell if a term is being used to demean someone in some way.

Also, I think that different cultures use different terms. Fras mentioned "babe or baby" in the South; I hear a lot of patients addressed as "mama" from the island people (Caribbean and Filipino), including physicians.

[doppelgaenger]

Pet names are a frequent thing in my relationship.

[Sonrisa]

i call everyone babe.

[sunmoonstars]

I HATE being called "baby." I like "sweetie."

[Gribble]

I call my girlfriend everything from sexy momma to wonder tits.

[brigitte]

I much prefer babe to sweetie or hunny, as they sound kinda old fashioned. But only from someone who was special to me. if a complete stranger called me babe I would think he was sleazy.