--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The term girl not only serves to avoid…" description: "\"The term girl not only serves to avoid certain anxiety-arousing connotations inherent in the word woman regarding aggression, sexuality, and reproducti..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/harriet-lerner-4248_aggression_the-term-girl-not-only-serves-to-avoid-c_2622077.jpg" --- # The term girl not only serves to avoid certain… ![“The term girl not only serves to avoid certain anxiety-arousing connotations inherent in the word woman regarding aggression, sexuality, and reproduction, it also serves to impart a tone of frivolousness and lack of seriousness to ambitious, intellectual, and competitive striving that women may…” quote by Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/harriet-lerner-4248_aggression_the-term-girl-not-only-serves-to-avoid-c_2622077.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/harriet-lerner-4248_aggression_the-term-girl-not-only-serves-to-avoid-c_2622077.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/harriet-lerner-4248_aggression_the-term-girl-not-only-serves-to-avoid-c_2622077.jpg) > “The term girl not only serves to avoid certain anxiety-arousing connotations inherent in the word woman regarding aggression, sexuality, and reproduction, it also serves to impart a tone of frivolousness and lack of seriousness to ambitious, intellectual, and competitive striving that women may pursue.” [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Calling women 'girls' trivializes them, undermining serious ambition and intellect. **In simple terms:** 'Girl' diminishes women’s seriousness. Key Takeaway Use respectful language for all genders. Themes gender bias language perception women’s empowerment Mood critical educational Type sociocultural inspirational When to use this quote - workplace discussions - education curricula - media representation Key Concepts sociolinguistics gender studies Questions to Reflect On - How does word choice affect perception? - What alternatives promote equality? A Different Perspective Language can reinforce stereotypes unintentionally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aggression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggression/) [Aggression Sexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggression-sexuality-2118215/) [Ambitious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitious/) [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Arousing Connotations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arousing-connotations-2118214/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Connotation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connotation/) [Connotations Inherent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connotations-inherent-2118216/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Impart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impart/) [Inherent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inherent/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Pursue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursue/) [Reproduction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reproduction/) [Seriousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seriousness/) [Sexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexuality/) [Strive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strive/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Term Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term-girl-2118213/) [Tone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tone/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) [Word Woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-woman-511562/) ## Related quotes > [What's the biggest commercial for aggression, sexuality and materialism? What gets pumped into these kids' heads? Taking someone else's girl, which is so laissez-faire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/what-s-the-biggest-commercial-for-aggression-sexuality-and/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [“Still trying to figure out the dynamics of rights and responsibilities as a woman? How about striking out the word Woman and making it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haritha-velpureddy/still-trying-to-figure-out-the-dynamics-of-rights-and/) [Haritha Velpureddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haritha-velpureddy/) > [She wavers, she hesitates: in a word, she is a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-racine/she-wavers-she-hesitates-in-a-word-she-is-a-woman/) [Jean Racine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-racine/) > [“Elle flotte, elle hésite; en un mot, elle est femme.” “(She floats, she hesitates; in a word, she's a woman.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-racine/elle-flotte-elle-h-site-en-un-mot-elle-est-femme-she-floats-she/) [Jean Racine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-racine/) > [When will it no longer be necessary to attach special weight to the word 'woman' and raise it specially?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ding-ling/when-will-it-no-longer-be-necessary-to-attach-special-weight-to-the/) [Ding Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ding-ling/) > [I know now that I began writing in a country where the word 'woman' and the word 'poet' were almost magnetically opposed. One word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eavan-boland/i-know-now-that-i-began-writing-in-a-country-where-the-word-woman-and/) [Eavan Boland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eavan-boland/) > [She wavers, she hesitates; in one word — she is a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-racine/she-wavers-she-hesitates-in-one-word-she-is-a-woman/) [Jean Racine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-racine/) > [Every word a woman writes changes the story of the world, revises the official version.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-see/every-word-a-woman-writes-changes-the-story-of-the-world-revises-the/) [Carolyn See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-see/) > [The only 'B' word you should call a woman is beautiful. Bitches love to be called beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-b-word-you-should-call-a-woman-is-beautiful-bitches-love-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Heaven and hell on earth lie in the word 'woman'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/heaven-and-hell-on-earth-lie-in-the-word-woman/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [The word's out: I'm a woman, and I'm going to have trouble backing off on that. I am what I am. I'll go out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/the-word-s-out-i-m-a-woman-and-i-m-going-to-have-trouble-backing-off/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I don't like to use the words 'real women,' honestly. I like to use the word 'woman.' And I say that because there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-graham/i-don-t-like-to-use-the-words-real-women-honestly-i-like-to-use-the/) [Ashley Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-graham/) > [Give us that grand word 'woman' once again, and let's have done with 'lady'; one's a term full of fine force, strong, beautiful, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-wheeler-wilcox/give-us-that-grand-word-woman-once-again-and-let-s-have-done-with/) [Ella Wheeler Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-wheeler-wilcox/) > [“Woman" is not a derogative word. I am always a woman, but there are time when I choose to sit without holding my knees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-dickey-smith/woman-is-not-a-derogative-word-i-am-always-a-woman-but-there-are-time/) [Sylvia Dickey Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-dickey-smith/) > [“In Sanskrit, there exists no word for ‘The Individual’ (L’Individu). En Grèce antique, il n’y avait aucun mot pour dire ‘Devoir’ (Duty). In French,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/in-sanskrit-there-exists-no-word-for-the-individual-l-individu-en-gr/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) ## More by Harriet Lerner > [“Letting go of anger and hate requires us to give up the hope for a different past, along with the hope of a fantasized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/letting-go-of-anger-and-hate-requires-us-to-give-up-the-hope-for-a/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [“There’s a widespread belief that if you have solid self-esteem you don’t need outside affirmation and praise. This is patently untrue, by the way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/there-s-a-widespread-belief-that-if-you-have-solid-self-esteem-you/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [It is an act of courage to acknowledge our own uncertainty and sit with it for a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/it-is-an-act-of-courage-to-acknowledge-our-own-uncertainty-and-sit/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [Silence can pose a greater threat than the difficult truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/silence-can-pose-a-greater-threat-than-the-difficult-truth/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [Nothing you say can ensure that the other person will get it, or respond the way you want. You may never exceed his threshold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/nothing-you-say-can-ensure-that-the-other-person-will-get-it-or/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [If you exchanged wedding vows, tape them to your bathroom mirror and read them aloud to yourself every morning along with the ritual brushing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/if-you-exchanged-wedding-vows-tape-them-to-your-bathroom-mirror-and/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [Kids want nothing more than for all the important adults in their life to get along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/kids-want-nothing-more-than-for-all-the-important-adults-in-their/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [“People's sense of self worth is pivotal to their ability to look clearly at the hurt they've caused. The more solid one's sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/people-s-sense-of-self-worth-is-pivotal-to-their-ability-to-look/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [Being able to make a sincere apology - one that says, "Yes, I get it; I screwed up. Your feelings make sense, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/being-able-to-make-a-sincere-apology-one-that-says-yes-i-get-it-i/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [“Everyone freaks out. Sometimes the best we can do with fear is befriend it. Expect it and understand that fear will always reappear. Eventually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/everyone-freaks-out-sometimes-the-best-we-can-do-with-fear-is/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [The bolder and more courageous you are, the more you will learn about yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/the-bolder-and-more-courageous-you-are-the-more-you-will-learn-about/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [Underground issues from one relationship or context invariably fuel our fires in another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/underground-issues-from-one-relationship-or-context-invariably-fuel/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [There are some things for which there is no apology, and on the question of slavery, there is no adequate apology for ripping people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/there-are-some-things-for-which-there-is-no-apology-and-on-the/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [Don't count on the power of your love or your nagging to create something that wasn't there to begin with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/don-t-count-on-the-power-of-your-love-or-your-nagging-to-create/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [If we only listened with the same passion that we feel about being heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/if-we-only-listened-with-the-same-passion-that-we-feel-about-being/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) [Explore all 113 Harriet Lerner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) ## More Aggression quotes > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I used to fight with hate. There's been a lot of aggression in my past growing up and stuff. That's because I was hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-namajunas/i-used-to-fight-with-hate-there-s-been-a-lot-of-aggression-in-my-past/) [Rose Namajunas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-namajunas/) > [We have nothing in our history or position to invite aggression; we have everything to beckon us to the cultivation of relations of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-have-nothing-in-our-history-or-position-to-invite-aggression-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I take up the standpoint that the tendency to aggression is an innate, independent, instinctual disposition in man, and I come back now to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/i-take-up-the-standpoint-that-the-tendency-to-aggression-is-an-innate/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [Boxing can be so important to young people, it keeps you off the street and you can channel your energy and aggression in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-benn/boxing-can-be-so-important-to-young-people-it-keeps-you-off-the/) [Nigel Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-benn/) > [“That which is of great value cannot be attained through aggression. You will be able to find the mystery of life only if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/that-which-is-of-great-value-cannot-be-attained-through-aggression/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [A society that presumes a norm of violence and celebrates aggression, whether in the subway, on the football field, or in the conduct of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/a-society-that-presumes-a-norm-of-violence-and-celebrates-aggression/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [I can remember watching MTV Cribs - these amazing houses - and looking around my house where there was no carpet on the floors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bugzy-malone/i-can-remember-watching-mtv-cribs-these-amazing-houses-and-looking/) [Bugzy Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bugzy-malone/) > [Nationalism, on my opinion, is nothing more than an idealistic rationalization for militarism and aggression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/nationalism-on-my-opinion-is-nothing-more-than-an-idealistic/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I really like battle ropes. They're so versatile; you can get a terrific workout doing a ton of different exercises with them. My clients…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunnar-peterson/i-really-like-battle-ropes-they-re-so-versatile-you-can-get-a/) [Gunnar Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunnar-peterson/) > [ Now they \[the Powers\] have started the aggression, and the extinction of our nation is imminent. If we just fold our arms and yield… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/empress-dowager-cixi/now-they-the-powers-have-started-the-aggression-and-the-extinction-of/) [Empress Dowager Cixi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/empress-dowager-cixi/) > [I'm not going to appeal to violence or aggression - of course not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-navalny/i-m-not-going-to-appeal-to-violence-or-aggression-of-course-not/) [Alexei Navalny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-navalny/) > [This is passive-aggression in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/this-is-passive-aggression-in-action/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [When a child hits a child, we call it aggression. When a child hits an adult, we call it hostility. When an adult hits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-a-child-hits-a-child-we-call-it-aggression-when-a-child-hits-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Major international interventions are doomed unless the US is directly or indirectly involved. But if American politicians, officials and servicemen are to be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/major-international-interventions-are-doomed-unless-the-us-is/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) [Browse all 860 Aggression quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggression/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The term girl not only serves to avoid certain anxiety-arousing connotations inherent in the word woman regarding aggression, sexuality, and reproduction, it also serves to impart a tone of frivolousness and lack of seriousness to ambitious, intellectual, and competitive striving that women may pursue.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harriet Lerner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/the-term-girl-not-only-serves-to-avoid-certain-anxiety-arousing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aggression" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/the-term-girl-not-only-serves-to-avoid-certain-anxiety-arousing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/harriet-lerner-4248_aggression_the-term-girl-not-only-serves-to-avoid-c_2622077.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/harriet-lerner-4248_aggression_the-term-girl-not-only-serves-to-avoid-c_2622077.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/harriet-lerner-4248_aggression_the-term-girl-not-only-serves-to-avoid-c_2622077.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The term girl not only serves to avoid certain anxiety-arousing connotations inherent in the word woman…” — Harriet Lerner", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Harriet Lerner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The term girl not only serves...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/the-term-girl-not-only-serves-to-avoid-certain-anxiety-arousing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/the-term-girl-not-only-serves-to-avoid-certain-anxiety-arousing/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```