Mini-Rant

Headline: Police arrest girls, bank teller in heist

The story? "Police arrested two 19-year-old girls ..."

AHEM! Those 19-year-olds aren't girls. They are women!!

As I read the headline, I figured some bank teller colluded with some 15-16 year olds and attempted to rob a bank. True, teenagers that age are sometimes bound over for trial as adults; however, as a society, we tend to consider youth that age as 'not responsible' in an adult way for their actions. Parents or other legal guardians must be notified and involved in any legal proceedings, unless the young person has been legally emancipated. Generally, such a young person is tried in the juvenile justice system, unless there are some extraordinary circumstances involved.

Then you hit 18.

Eighteen is when young people are considered adult and parents/legal guardians drop out of the legal picture. No longer are parents/guardians required for the now-adult to receive medical care. No longer do parents/guardians automatically receive information from schools or physicians about their 'young charges', unless said 'young charges' give written permission for the information to be shared. And, no longer must parents/guardians be contacted before police interrogate them when a crime has been committed.

Excuse me! At that point, it's time to drop the term "girl" and shift to "woman". I'm curious. Would the Associated Press have even reported the robbery if it had been two 19-year-old "boys" (to be consistent in terminology) committing the crime? If they had, would the term "boys" have even been used?

Personally, the terms "girl" and "boy" used to describe those who are legally adult infantilizes the person described. It says at a subconscious level that the person should not be held completely accountable for their actions, and should still be under the guidance and tutelage of someone older, someone who's truly adult. It says that the person is not capable of completely understanding the consequences of their actions, and it says that the person is not capable of functioning as an adult. (Although, I suspect that at this moment those young women are wishing that were true.)

I realize that the usage of "girl" and "boy" to describe young adults (and, not so young adults in some cultural settings) won't be ended simply because I get on my high horse whenever I see/hear it used. However, I have a hard time letting it go without saying something.

Ok. I'm through now, boys and girls, er ...... ladies and gentlemen. ;) Carry on.