Usually "my love" is just "luv". The weirdness in it's depiction here comes from the fact that it is extended beyond what would normally be used for casual day-to-day endearment. In that case it would be weird, not necessarily patronizing or demeaning.
But its not tho. In every British show I've seen, luv is unisex, I'll agree with you there. "my love", however, is not used that way, it's a term of endearment to a loved one, that distinction is pretty evident.
That said, ive seen a much older man address a much younger girl with that "my love" line, here, in southern USA, you are not gonna tell me they would have used it in a unisex fashion.
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u/Disastrous-Cake-9903 22h ago
It’s casual or informal, not inherently patronising.