Why we never say “Gentle Lady” in the House

Remember a few months ago, when there was a monumental debate about whether to use “gentle lady” when referring to a congresswoman?

The consensus, according to this Inquirer report, was that it was never to be used. The reason, according to a congressman was that “gentle” was “superfluous”, since “lady”, according to another, “already indicates gentleness”.

I just stumbled upon what may be the most compelling reason why “gentle lady” should not be used to refer to congresswomen. Gentle Lady is a glider. According to the manufacturer, Carl Goldberg Products Ltd, it is:

“Carl’s quintessential glider design. Wen it comes to economical high–performance R/C soaring, the Lady’s still the champ! This model gives beginners plenty of time to sort things out, yet providing experienced flyers with those extra–long flights. Take her out and you’ll know why so many thousands of modelers have fallen in love with the Gentle Lady.”

So there you are. After Spain, neither the people nor congresswomen want to be reminded of “those extra-long flights”.