No! You CANNOT Call Me That!

Ok. So I’m not really sure how or even if this is a feminist issue, but I do know for damn sure that I am a feminist and I am pissed off .

Just some background info; my full given name is Elizabeth but most everyone stopped calling me that in the sixth grade. I actually prefer that acquaintances, teachers, etc to call me Liz. However; my close friends (and of course my family) call me Lizzy.

Anyway, on to the present. I started a summer job working in a coffee shop in June. Since then my boss (a general sort of creepster, if you will) has referred to me as honey, sweetie and once even cutie. None of these “names” stuck very long because I addressed him politely and privately about it and nothing else was said. In fact, I told him in all three discussions that I prefer to be called Liz. Straight up. And yesterday he called me Lizzy! I was completely taken aback. Now I know I’m only 19 and I do suppose there’s something to be said for world experience, yada yada yada that I may not have but this man certainly does. Since when is it ok to completely disregard someone’s preferences for what they would like to be called and just come up with your own??

I really don’t know what to say, in fact I’m a little afraid to say anything at all because I’m nervous that he’ll just say I’m irrationally overreacting. Am I? Should I just suck it up for the two and a half weeks I have left at this place? Does anyone else have this problem of others taking whatever liberties they want with your name? Is it worse in urban areas? (I live in southern Vermont and go to school in the biggest city [Burlington] pop 40,000) If you have a more traditionally ethnic name? Can someone please restore my sanity?