I'm sorry, but I have to say you're being overly sensitive, but hey, the same could be said about how I feel when people refer to a females as "chicks," but I really don't make that big a deal of it. I've only expressed that I dislike it to my partner and to the kids, never to the rest of the world because I don't expect people to know what words to use for every single person. That's just over the top because it's not that big of a deal usually, simple little names. Nobody is intentionally trying to "offend" you by being kind with their words.

I actually have to say I like being called "hon" "honey," and "sweetie." This though, is because I've grown up here in the south and when someone addresses you as one of those names, they're just basically treating you like family. You see what I mean? It may not make sense to people elsewhere who don't see this often, but here, that is all it is. So it's kind of sweet I guess when strangers say that. It's like a way of them saying they accept you and see you as something kind of important to them. Can't explain it well.

I only get called these names by older people. That's about how it works here where I live. Younger people like me don't go around calling everybody these names, but probably because it's names that older people tend to use when referring to younger people and people my age usually only get the chance at the moment to use these words to their kids since we're really not much older than most people to use them.

The only instances I can think of where I've been called these names is out of pure kindness. "Hon, you are so pretty." or "Do you want a Coke, honey or "darling?" And I do refer to people with these words when I view them as my friends and want to be more intimate than just "hey, you." And if someone were offended, then I'd feel like they were not appreciative and overly sensitive. It's not rude to call someone a sweet name, to show that you like them and view them as someone close to your or someone you admire. I personally take more offense to being told "hey sexy ass." That's the kind of thing that is said by a stranger out of negativity (degradation if it's done by a stranger).

I also call the kids "sweetie, darling, precious, angels, sweet baby, etc." It's just my way of expressing deep like or showing someone that I am really fond of them. It's more intimate and personal than "hey, dude" so that is where people who use these words are usually coming from.

I am sorry that it offends you. I hope it won't bother you so much as long as you can see it as something done out of a good, caring heart.

I don't like it, I think it's annoying. I like it better when he just calls me by my name

Never mattered. It seems sweet.