animal names for people

using animal names—such as ape, bunny, chick, kitten, shark—to refer to people is generally insensitive and will not make you a lot of friends. In addition, most pejorative animal names are also sexist. "Men's extensive labeling of women as parts of body, fruit, or animals and as mindless, or like children—labels with no real parallel for men—reflects men's derision of women and helps maintain gender hierarchy and control" (Barrie Thorne, Cheris Kramarae, and Nancy M. Henley, eds., Language, Gender and Society). A few terms seem descriptive without being derogatory; "lamb" is used affectionately for both sexes. Metaphors that compare people to animals in some particular are seldom sexist and thus are acceptable, for example, "merry as a cricket," "happy as a lark." To distinguish between pejorative and acceptable descriptions, determine whether a person is being labeled an animal or whether the person is being likened to some animal characteristic. Saying someone is "wise as an owl" implies not that the person is an owl but that the person is wise as we imagine owls are wise. Strong writing depends on metaphors—even metaphors based on animals—but there is a difference between labeling people and creating vivid word associations. See also bitch (n.), food names for people, fox/foxy/foxy lady, hen party, lone wolf, stag line, stag movie, stag party, stud (man), wolf (man).