the fair sex



the fair/fairer sex

  (old-fashioned)
women
Usage notes: Some women think this phrase is offensive.
My father hated the idea of me joining the army. He always said it wasn't a suitable occupation for the fair sex.
See also: fair, sex

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Merav-Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Marcelomahr-THE-lo (Spanish), mahr-SE-lo (Latin American Spanish)Spanish, Portuguese
Marinamah-REE-nah (Italian, Spanish, German, Russian), mə-REEN-ə (English)Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, English, Greek, Russian, Uk
HarrisonHAR-i-sən, HER-i-sənEnglish
HenkHENKDutch
Atieno-Eastern African, Luo