"Not necessarily so down here in the Southern US. I have been called
    "honey" and "sugar"(pronounced, "suguh") by female waitresses. It really
    depends on who uses such and the context in which they are used. But,
    geneally it is demeaning. Also, the male counterpart here is "buddy",
    "bubba", "guy", "son"  and "boy".


   Glad you clarified that for me Bobby, got me out of having to type
   a feminist diatribe on the often patronising attitudes to women
   underlying the use of such terms.  Also, here in Australia, alot of
   men - and some women for that matter - use these ways of referring
   to women to show their general loathing and hatred towards women -
   and people with disabilities.  Lucky me, I get to be both, I'm just
   a  stumbling, sociological experiment.
   Speaking of stumbling, best stumble off my soapbox. :)

  Rayna