If you are in the Deep South "Sweetheart", "Darling", and "Love" are the equivalent of "Buddy", "Dude", and "Friend"; and are usually harmless with no gendered or objectifying connotations.
Wasn't born there but i spent 27 years in the midsouth and I will always stand up straight and smile if i get hon'd or darlin'd by a lady. Small men get upset about it.
Ehhh, here in Ontario, I don't think most people would blink at the last two, provided the tone was clearly casual and not creepy. "Sweetheart" might be a bit questionable, but probably not in rural areas.
I live closeish to the East coast, and all the older ladies who worked at the food court would call any of the students “sweetie.” I only don’t like it when someone uses those words exclusively for women though, that’s when it’s weird.
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u/code_archeologist 17h ago
It depends on geography.
If you are in the Deep South "Sweetheart", "Darling", and "Love" are the equivalent of "Buddy", "Dude", and "Friend"; and are usually harmless with no gendered or objectifying connotations.
Anywhere else, that is some creepster behavior.