Losing Ground

I find that I am starting to call female students 'girls'. I have been opposed to referring to adult females as girls for decades. It started in the 1960s when women began to protest the way they were treated. I have been adamant about referring to female adults as women. Many women call each other girl and I cannot remember hearing anybody refer to another student as a woman. I have had several conversations on the topic with other students and they appreciate why I refer to adult females as women. Nevertheless, it is difficult to maintain my linguistic practice in isolation. so, if 'girl' slips into my blog from time to time, you will know what is going on. My beliefs have not changed, just my language. But, that leads us to the theory that language shapes our actions. And I just might end up calling a vigilant feminist a girl. I'll be right back to square one.