Sir or Ma'am

[jdigs 0]

This is a silly poll I know..but there must be some thoughts on how one should adress a female officer.

[Indy 8]

I think you should address them however they wish to be addressed.

[Takara_Soong 4]

I think you should address them however they wish to be addressed.

I agree. Personally I've never really liked being called ma'am in a formal way. Makes me feel old. :)

[trekkergirl220 0]

I nulled my vote, because I don't really like either. I know sir is more official and shows higher authority, but its kind of weird having a female called sir. If I was an officer, I don't think I would really want to be called ma'am though either (imo), so I can't really choose. I wish there was another name which could be used other than sir or ma'am.

[jdigs 0]

I nulled my vote, because I don't really like either.  I know sir is more official and shows higher authority, but its kind of weird having a female called sir.  If I was an officer, I don't think I would really want to be called ma'am though either (imo), so I can't really choose. I wish there was another name which could be used other than sir or ma'am.

Well..there is..you can call them by their title..like in Star Trek.."Commander" In real life.."Mr/Ms. Smith" :)

[TrekkieMage 0]

I think you should address them however they wish to be addressed.

I agree :)

[trekkergirl220 0]

I nulled my vote, because I don't really like either.  I know sir is more official and shows higher authority, but its kind of weird having a female called sir.  If I was an officer, I don't think I would really want to be called ma'am though either (imo), so I can't really choose. I wish there was another name which could be used other than sir or ma'am.

Well..there is..you can call them by their title..like in Star Trek.."Commander" In real life.."Mr/Ms. Smith" :)

lol, oh yeah.

But commander doesn't always work. What if your more than a commander, like an admiral, you wouldn't want to be called commander. I meant a word like sir, but for women, and still showing high authority. I know they could use mrs. but that really doesn't sound right..(I mean in terms of start trek)

[Lessa_Soong 0]

I don't like the 'sir' option, so i would go 'ma'am, but Captain or Commander (or what ever rank) as much as possible. I still remember the first time i was called "ma'am" I was 17 and it shocked the hell out of me. Just cuz i was over the guy, did not mean i wanted him to call me that! :) I must have sputtered for him to just call me by name for five minutes. :)

[jdigs 0]

I don't like the 'sir' option, so i would go 'ma'am, but Captain or Commander (or what ever rank) as much as possible. I still remember the first time i was called "ma'am" I was 17 and it shocked the hell out of me. Just cuz i was over the guy, did not mean i wanted him to call me that!  :) I must have sputtered for him to just call me by name for five minutes.  :)

I like being called Sir. Makes me feel as though at least I'm being treated with respect..plus I went to a Private school and it's been ingrained in me that Sir and Ma'am are the way to go..TrekkieMage, If you and I were Star Trek Characters..wouldn't you rather I call you Admiral or Commander or whatever your rank is to that of Ma'am?

[Lollypop 0]

I think you should address them however they wish to be addressed.

I agree :)

Me too

[RikerChick 5]

I think you should address them however they wish to be addressed.

Agreed. However nobody calls me ma'am unless they want to lose a few teeth. I hate being called ma'am!

[TrekkieMage 0]

I don't like the 'sir' option, so i would go 'ma'am, but Captain or Commander (or what ever rank) as much as possible. I still remember the first time i was called "ma'am" I was 17 and it shocked the hell out of me. Just cuz i was over the guy, did not mean i wanted him to call me that!  :) I must have sputtered for him to just call me by name for five minutes.  :)

I like being called Sir. Makes me feel as though at least I'm being treated with respect..plus I went to a Private school and it's been ingrained in me that Sir and Ma'am are the way to go..TrekkieMage, If you and I were Star Trek Characters..wouldn't you rather I call you Admiral or Commander or whatever your rank is to that of Ma'am?

I'd say Commander.

[bevfanK 0]

I think you should address them however they wish to be addressed.

I agree :)

[Chataeya 0]

MA'AM FINE WITH ME, USE TO IT. :) :)

[Xeroc 0]

I'd say go with what they want - but I personally think ma'am sounds better.

[ensign_beedrill 0]

"Sir" all the way. I think that's the coolest thing ever that they call their female officers "sir." Well, maybe not ever, but it still ranks up there. I'd love it if people called me "sir." I just think "sir" sounds a whole lot better than "ma'am."

 

But this is the subject of some of my favorite dialogue from Voyager:

 

Janeway: Despite Starfleet protocol, I don't like being addressed as sir.

Kim: Yes...ma'am?

Janeway: Ma'am will do in a crunch. But I prefer Captain.

[later on]

Kim: Yes, Ma'am.

Janeway: It's not crunch time yet, Mr. Kim. I'll let you know when.

 

I'll let you know when. *giggles* Poor Harry.

[TrekkieMage 0]

"Sir" all the way.  I think that's the coolest thing ever that they call their female officers "sir."  Well, maybe not ever, but it still ranks up there.  I'd love it if people called me "sir."  I just think "sir" sounds a whole lot better than "ma'am."

 

But this is the subject of some of my favorite dialogue from Voyager:

 

Janeway: Despite Starfleet protocol, I don't like being addressed as sir.

Kim: Yes...ma'am?

Janeway: Ma'am will do in a crunch. But I prefer Captain.

[later on]

Kim: Yes, Ma'am.

Janeway: It's not crunch time yet, Mr. Kim. I'll let you know when.

 

I'll let you know when.  *giggles*  Poor Harry.

I love that! :lol:

 

Harry's expression said it all... :lol:

[joeybear 0]

i've always found it strange that there is 'Sir' for men, and both 'Miss' and 'ma'am' for women - i know the two denote marital status, but why just for women? - ok, ok, the way we were - still, i found some enlightenment when first i saw Mr. Saavik (kirstie alley) being addressed as 'Mr' and 'Sir" in ST2; i was young, and the influence on me was a broadened mind, and maybe even morality - of course, Janeway can (and will) do as she likes...

[Xeroc 0]

"Sir" all the way.  I think that's the coolest thing ever that they call their female officers "sir."  Well, maybe not ever, but it still ranks up there.  I'd love it if people called me "sir."  I just think "sir" sounds a whole lot better than "ma'am."

 

But this is the subject of some of my favorite dialogue from Voyager:

 

Janeway: Despite Starfleet protocol, I don't like being addressed as sir.

Kim: Yes...ma'am?

Janeway: Ma'am will do in a crunch. But I prefer Captain.

[later on]

Kim: Yes, Ma'am.

Janeway: It's not crunch time yet, Mr. Kim. I'll let you know when.

 

I'll let you know when.  *giggles*  Poor Harry.

I love that! :lol:

 

Harry's expression said it all... :lol:

LOL!!! Great scene!

[Sarah 0]

I think that how you address them depends on who you're addressing.....if they want to be called sir or ma'am......

I would prefer calling her ma'am however

[Klingonmike 0]

When I was in the Army we had to call all female officers ma'am.

[Goose 0]

Stardate:213463.9

 

I believe it should be the officers perodgative(spelling?)on what they want.But IMO if i was a female officer i belive i would prefer sir.It doesnt seem to me that in that situation sir doesnt neccasarily refer to gender.

[ddillard 2]

I think you should address them however they wish to be addressed.

Agreed. However nobody calls me ma'am unless they want to lose a few teeth. I hate being called ma'am!

I will have to remember that, since I was raised to use sir and ma'am as terms of respect. Whenever I was told to do something by someone who was older than me or in a position of authority I would have been knocked flat by my father if I did not respond with yes sir/ma'am. I have carried that into my adult life. Expecially since I spent the last five years in the security field, where I was referred to as sir on a daily basis. When I call someone ma'am it is not meant to be insulting in any way, quite the opposite it is simply that I have a good deal of respect for them and should be taken in that manner. But looks like I had better be careful saying it in Vegas.

[Ezri Dax 0]

I know I would prefer sir.. lol

 

But I think you adress someone by the way he or she wants to be adressed

[RikerChick 5]

I think you should address them however they wish to be addressed.

Agreed. However nobody calls me ma'am unless they want to lose a few teeth. I hate being called ma'am!

I will have to remember that, since I was raised to use sir and ma'am as terms of respect. Whenever I was told to do something by someone who was older than me or in a position of authority I would have been knocked flat by my father if I did not respond with yes sir/ma'am. I have carried that into my adult life. Expecially since I spent the last five years in the security field, where I was referred to as sir on a daily basis. When I call someone ma'am it is not meant to be insulting in any way, quite the opposite it is simply that I have a good deal of respect for them and should be taken in that manner. But looks like I had better be careful saying it in Vegas.

As much as I hate it, if you can tell that somebody is saying it out of respect I'll usually just ask them to use another term. For me growing up you only called somebody ma'am when you were being sarcastic or rude. It was very derogatory. Besides, I could never hit you. Unless you threaten another pic of me with Wesley, then you better start ducking.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I'm not sure what it's based on, calling a female officer Sir. Maybe it's a Naval thing. In the Army I served under both female commanders and male commanders. Near the end of my tour I was the battalion adjutant's driver (a female Captain). Whenever I needed to use the expression it was "Yes Ma'am" and I also drove male Colonels, Captains and just about every rank below General and for males it's Sir for females it's Ma'am.

 

Anyway, that's how the Army does it.

[ddillard 2]

I think you should address them however they wish to be addressed.

Agreed. However nobody calls me ma'am unless they want to lose a few teeth. I hate being called ma'am!

I will have to remember that, since I was raised to use sir and ma'am as terms of respect. Whenever I was told to do something by someone who was older than me or in a position of authority I would have been knocked flat by my father if I did not respond with yes sir/ma'am. I have carried that into my adult life. Expecially since I spent the last five years in the security field, where I was referred to as sir on a daily basis. When I call someone ma'am it is not meant to be insulting in any way, quite the opposite it is simply that I have a good deal of respect for them and should be taken in that manner. But looks like I had better be careful saying it in Vegas.

As much as I hate it, if you can tell that somebody is saying it out of respect I'll usually just ask them to use another term. For me growing up you only called somebody ma'am when you were being sarcastic or rude. It was very derogatory. Besides, I could never hit you. Unless you threaten another pic of me with Wesley, then you better start ducking.

I will remember that. Guess I better ditch that photo that just miraculously "appeared" on my computer.

[Gotabite 0]

I think many of us females don't like the term m'am, because it's often associated with a woman who is older. Personally I've never liked the term. Yet, I would not want anyone to say yes sir to me either, as I am definitely not a man. My preference would be to be addressed by my rank....example Aye Captain, etc.... I wish there was another word that implied respect for a female officer. But since there isn't .......guess m'am will have to be my choice. :o

[RikerChick 5]

Guess I better ditch that photo that just miraculously "appeared" on my computer.

:ph34r:

[ddillard 2]

Guess I better ditch that photo that just miraculously "appeared" on my computer.

:ph34r:

But the pic just won't delete. I keep deleting it and it comes right back, I think it is demanding to be seen. :devil: :huh: