Boy, this is annoying!

One great thing about the Internet is that anyone can be a publisher. The problem is that anyone can be a publisher. Most people have no training in the hows and whys of journalism. Take the new Facebook group I came across today. It's called "University of Northern Colorado Men's and Girl's Basketball."

Yes, you read it right. Stop spitting coffee on your computer screen.

Is it 2009, or 1959? This is insulting, people. If you don't understand why, ask yourself why it's not "boy's" basketball. It's just plain mean to refer to "men" and "girls" and expect readers to see them as equals. Get it? If not, go to the AP Stylebook. My 2009 edition has the following under the "girl" entry:

Applicable until 18th birthday is reached. Use woman or young woman afterward.

I realize many 17-year-olds attend college, but because most females at universities are 18 and older, I tell students to use "women" in reference to college students when specific age is not known. Here's another way to look at it: Would you use "boys" or "men"? Women goes with men. Girls goes with boys.

Better yet, go to UNC's athletics Web page. You won't find any "girls" or "boys." I'm getting kind of sick of having to spell this out for people. As far as I'm concerned, if women want to refer to themselves as "girls," they can go for it. But if you're trying to support a team, have a little consideration for what people of my mother's generation went through so that women could even play Division I college basketball.