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Ma'am for females?

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
I'd like to make a suggestion that when you are playing a female character, the NPCs respond to you as Ma'am instead of Sir.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    In Starfleet everyone is a sir. Except Wesley Crusher... he's a douchebag.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    In Starfleet everyone is a sir. Except Wesley Crusher... he's a douchebag.

    Yes, this is very correct.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    janeway was not called sir
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    "Sir" is the correct military address for anyone higher rank than you, male or female.

    Some officers will use "Ma'am" for a female officer or a civilian as a term of respect, but it's not required or even expected.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Shaddam wrote:
    janeway was not called sir

    Actually she was, specifically in the first episode. She actually made note that it's Starfleet protocol to call all superior officers "sir" but she said she didn't like either that nor "ma'am" and instead preferred simply "captain."
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Actually she was, specifically in the first episode. She actually made note that it's Starfleet protocol to call all superior officers "sir" but she said she didn't like either that nor "ma'am" and instead preferred simply "captain."

    but if you keep waching she dose get called Ma'am
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Shaddam wrote:
    janeway was not called sir

    she was always answered...YES captain...blah blah...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    wildmugato wrote: »
    she was always answered...YES captain...blah blah...

    not always
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    RedwoodElf wrote: »
    "Sir" is the correct military address for anyone higher rank than you, male or female.

    Some officers will use "Ma'am" for a female officer or a civilian as a term of respect, but it's not required or even expected.

    You are incorrect, the propper term and expected term in the military is in fact "Ma'am" when addressing a female superior. Boxer showed her TRIBBLE in that exchange, and came out looking like an idiot. However, in the Star Trek universe, a fictional universe, the use of "sir" and "mister" for all genders has been shown as acceptable.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I think the game dev's have more to worry about at the moment than going back and altering every single npc conversation script to do a gender check and call a player ma'am if they're female.

    Server issues, very little endgame content (still), rampant bugs, fleet actions being farmed by people grossly outlevelling them, Klingon gameplay lacking...i could go on...but you get the idea.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Correct or not, as a female, 'Sir' is fine in the context of the game but I'd be happier to be addressed by rank or name. Ma'am is such a horribly old-fashioned term and probably best suited to the stout sort of very old, grumpy ladies who might otherwise be referred to as matron. :p
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Being called sir is a naval thing... one of my fleet-mates was in the Navy.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Shaddam wrote:
    not always

    been a while since i saw the show...anyway..its always been starfleet thing to address all captains as sir..no matter what gender...the TV shows were there said mamm..were most likely a messup when they did say it..the TV show peeps can make things up as they go along when making a show..if you watch the star trek MOVIES the all say Sir..Star Trek 2... I know for a fact..just watched it the other day..
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I prefer my female characters be referred to as "dude" or "bro".
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I prefer my female characters be referred to as "dude" or "bro".

    qfe 10chars
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Shaddam wrote:
    but if you keep waching she dose get called Ma'am

    She was primarily called "captain" by protocol she was supposed to be called "sir." The only times I can recall beyond the first episode that she was ever really called "ma'am" was when she was being authoritative, the male crew members would then often refer to her as ma'am with... a certain tone. It was actually quite sexist and really shouldn't have been in the show as it actually did a great deal to undermine the characters both Janeway and the people who would use the term, generally almost alway Paris. Really, he should have been peeling potatoes for mouthing off like that but the writers apparently wanted Paris to seem "cool" and I guess misogyny is cool...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Encima wrote: »
    qfe 10chars

    I have also replaced the traditional "Yes, Captain" reply with " *Sigh* Whatever, bro (or dude, respectively)."
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I am in the military and no "Sir" is not used for everyone who outranks you. If you call a female "Sir" you're looking at a lot of trouble if you don't correct yourself. Nor is it old fashioned. I use it every day, as do many many of us in the military or anyone who is being polite. It's a lot nicer to call say "Excuse me, Ma'am" Instead of "Hey you! Lady!" I have also worked with a female navy Commander and she had no problem being called "Ma'am"

    And as for that youtube link, the army officer was being polite and she didn't think it was good enough for her.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Chineko wrote:
    I am in the military and no "Sir" is not used for everyone who outranks you. If you call a female "Sir" you're looking at a lot of trouble if you don't correct yourself. Nor is it old fashioned. I use it every day, as do many many of us in the military or anyone who is being polite. It's a lot nicer to call say "Excuse me, Ma'am" Instead of "Hey you! Lady!" I have also worked with a female navy Commander and she had no problem being called "Ma'am"

    And as for that youtube link, the army officer was being polite and she didn't think it was good enough for her.

    Are you in Starfleet?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Real life vs. video game lore is always good discussion.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Are you in Starfleet?

    In game? Yes. In life? Obviously not and I never claimed to be nor fantasized about it. I was relying to this Redwoodelf's post with my experiances
    RedwoodElf wrote: »
    "Sir" is the correct military address for anyone higher rank than you, male or female.

    Some officers will use "Ma'am" for a female officer or a civilian as a term of respect, but it's not required or even expected.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Chineko wrote:
    I'd like to make a suggestion that when you are playing a female character, the NPCs respond to you as Ma'am instead of Sir.

    When responding or addressing a superior officer (nco or otherwise) it's always the safest to go with Sir.

    It's more tradition to use Sir and it's not really about gender. But using Ma'am immediatly points out you are talking to a female officer. Something they already knew and you shouldn't even be concerned about :P

    Sir unless they point out they prefer Ma'am.

    YMMV depending on the setting and people (other officers!!!) around you. I wouldn't use Ma'am if addressing a female officer surrounded by her peers if I don't know them well and know they also know the officer prefers Ma'am.

    Seeing the "enlightened" era Starfleet exists one would pretty much throw the entire gender thing overboard and expect Ma'am to be just as accepted. But then again, people are still busy blowing the **** out of each other, so some things never change it seems :p
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    All I know - as a gamer girl, I totally HATE being called Sir all the time in this game...

    Doing a gender check cannot be any harder than when the insert our character name and rank in the convo "Commander Alice"

    I honestly don't care what real life US(or other) military would declare as correct. I would tell my crew to open their eyes and address me by rank or ma'am.

    Imagine if the writers decided to just be gender equal in treatment but instead all the guy and girl captains were called Ma'am...
    I think many of you guys playing guys would be bugged when it comes up constantly...
    its easier to shrug it off when the supposed neutral is in favor of your own gender (I think)
    I think it sounds stupid calling women sir, as much as saying "Yes Ma'am, Captain Kirk, Ma'am

    I also think that the conversations should insert our characters Last Name not the nick name/short name...Assuming that we gave a formal name, in official starfleet messages - I can't see them using nick's - only in personal messages or casual communications.

    It was always Captain Kirk not Captain Jim, even if many of his boffs called him Jim...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Chineko wrote:
    In life? Obviously not and I never claimed to be nor fantasized about it. I was relying to this Redwoodelf's post with my experiances

    Ah. That would have been clearer with a quote of his post to provide context, as there were several replies between his and yours, making it appear as though your reply was to the thread as a whole, suggesting your experience applies to the game world. Gotcha now though ;)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Ah. That would have been clearer with a quote of his post to provide context, as there were several replies between his and yours, making it appear as though your reply was to the thread as a whole, suggesting your experience applies to the game world. Gotcha now though ;)

    My apologies :) I just figured out the quote thing :)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    All I know - as a gamer girl, I totally HATE being called Sir all the time in this game...

    Doing a gender check cannot be any harder than when the insert our character name and rank in the convo "Commander Alice"

    I honestly don't care what real life US(or other) military would declare as correct. I would tell my crew to open their eyes and address me by rank or ma'am.

    Imagine if the writers decided to just be gender equal in treatment but instead all the guy and girl captains were called Ma'am...
    I think many of you guys playing guys would be bugged when it comes up constantly...
    its easier to shrug it off when the supposed neutral is in favor of your own gender (I think)
    I think it sounds stupid calling women sir, as much as saying "Yes Ma'am, Captain Kirk, Ma'am

    I also think that the conversations should insert our characters Last Name not the nick name/short name...Assuming that we gave a formal name, in official starfleet messages - I can't see them using nick's - only in personal messages or casual communications.

    It was always Captain Kirk not Captain Jim, even if many of his boffs called him Jim...

    Thank you! I am also a girl gamer which is why I started this post XD I'll take rank but it drives me crazy to be called "sir" I actual have seen them use my rank and last name in some of the messages I've gotten. I figure if they can do something like that they can easily figure out what gender you are.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Sinn3d wrote:
    When responding or addressing a superior officer (nco or otherwise) it's always the safest to go with Sir.

    It's more tradition to use Sir and it's not really about gender. But using Ma'am immediatly points out you are talking to a female officer. Something they already knew and you shouldn't even be concerned about :P

    Sir unless they point out they prefer Ma'am.

    YMMV depending on the setting and people (other officers!!!) around you. I wouldn't use Ma'am if addressing a female officer surrounded by her peers if I don't know them well and know they also know the officer prefers Ma'am.

    Seeing the "enlightened" era Starfleet exists one would pretty much throw the entire gender thing overboard and expect Ma'am to be just as accepted. But then again, people are still busy blowing the **** out of each other, so some things never change it seems :p

    I promise you it's not safest to go with Sir. Safest thing to do would be to go with rank. I've never seen a man happy being called girl, lady, woman, or chick, just as we're not happy being called guy, man, Mr., or sir. Ma'am is an honorific, as 'my Lady' use to be. It's a word used to show respect to the woman you are talking to. No female, NCO or officer, will prefer Sir.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    There are for more important bugs / issues that need fixing that ma'am and skirts .. get your priorities right ffs
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Chineko wrote:
    I am in the military and no "Sir" is not used for everyone who outranks you. If you call a female "Sir" you're looking at a lot of trouble if you don't correct yourself. Nor is it old fashioned. I use it every day, as do many many of us in the military or anyone who is being polite. It's a lot nicer to call say "Excuse me, Ma'am" Instead of "Hey you! Lady!" I have also worked with a female navy Commander and she had no problem being called "Ma'am"

    And as for that youtube link, the army officer was being polite and she didn't think it was good enough for her.
    Outside the military world it is old fashioned. End of story. Either way this is a fictional game and therefore real-world rules do not need to apply here.

    As a female, I'm obviously a girl gamer too and in RL, I'm also a feminine sort of lass, and I really don't mind my female Starfleet officer being called "Sir" at all. Now if she was called brother or man then I would object along with the rest of you. :)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    LoKi_ wrote:
    There are for more important bugs / issues that need fixing that ma'am and skirts .. get your priorities right ffs

    I never said this was a priority did I? Did I ever say "OMG! You gotta get this done right now now or I'll never ever play ever again!" (like a single user would matter) It was a suggestion to look at down the road once the big stuff is done and settled. You need to quit jumping to conclusions.
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