I think of vivacious as a woman with an outgoing personality and a positive trait and would not find it offensive. I suppose a gender neutral word might have been outgoing or engaging but goodness I tire sometimes about women these days getting offended at every little thing. I am a woman. I am a strong woman. I am not a man. I don’t want to be a man. I can live with positive female specific adjectives.
@stircrazydad No, I wouldn’t use handsome to describe a guy in a work setting. I’d be worried about being hauled into HR. I definitely would not introduce a man to a work related group audience as being handsome.
D1 told me at work now the only thing a man can compliment a woman is by saying “I like your shoes,” because anything else would be considered sexual harassment. I think we need to ease up a bit. Just because a guy says, “I like your dress” doesn’t mean it is anything more than that.
“^^^^Now that I think of it, yeah, as long as they said I was smart too, I’d be okay with it as well. Vanity…lol.”
Hey, I’d be happy if someone introduced me as either, beautiful or smart. However, I would know they were mocking me! 
^^^busdriver11 - I doubt it. 
Well, for all you thinking this is ok as well as the mentioning of physical features or attributes - even if complimentary like handsome, beautiful - be careful. Having worked for a large company, its been made quite clear that such comments are not appropriate and this is nothing new but more than a decade old.
I lean toward the word “vivacious” being inappropriate and mildly (but only mildly) sexist.
@oldfort, a woman can certainly be both beautiful amd smart. In no case should a woman’s looks be mentioned in a professional setting.
Vivacious falls in the same category for me. It’s a word that describes a personality trait, amd has nothing to do with a professional qualification.
I wouldn’t expect a student to have the experience to make nuanced judgements about what’s professional.
It’s just not wise to comment on someone’s looks in a business setting. Even I, as a woman, never mentioned someone’s looks in a corporate environment unless I was already friends with the person.
I used to work for a guy who always complimented women. When any of us women went into his office, he invariably said something about how we looked, what a nice dress, etc. But what he was really saying to us was, You are a female amd that’s the most important thing I see in you. It was incredibly tiresome. He did this with all women until eventually several of them complained. He was shocked and said he was only saying nice things. He didn’t understand that it’s demeaning to be perceived by your gender first amd foremost, and your abilities somewhere down the line.
Since many men don’t hear what they’re saying, it’s safer for them just to keep quiet about non-business traits.
And what about that less attractive/less vivacious coworker? Does mentioning attributes not related to the job description and tasks not set up an atmosphere whereby other employees feel less valued/less recognized for actual work done? I’m imagining a work environment where a boss/or coworkers compliment someone on appearance or another attribute like being vivacious and then at some point that employee is promoted. Does it send the message that looks had something to do with it? Better to keep all that out of the workplace IMO.
Please do not turn this into a discussion about comments on physical attributes. We already know those are in poor taste.
Nobody commented on how someone was dressed. Nobody said the word beautiful.
The word was “vivacious”. Meant only as being “energetic” in the best sense of the word.
The comments so far have been very helpful and I hope not to derail the original subject.
I’m sure there are some snowflakes that will immediately need to retreat to a safe space if they are exposed to such horrors. @-)
The guys in my office wear a boring “corporate uniform” every day: boring pants + boring collared buttoned shirt.
On days when they wear a tie for a high-profile meeting, they get ribbed by their peers:
“Job interview today?”
For those occasions, the gals who normally don’t wear a dress may wear a dress. They get a totally different reaction from their peers. They get compliments:
“You look nice!”
Is it sexist? Or is it just well-meaning honesty?
Well if it gets that reaction…
Space safe from sexism? Sign me up. Got told I would live in the kitchen after I graduate on an engineering students forum the other day.
Post 30–doschicos–You are right with so many aspects and very helpful in your answers.
But…
In this particular case nobody is up for promotion. The “offended” person is in the top position.
Scenario:
The president of your company was introduced as “vivacious” by a young person at your company, After listing all their wonderful accomplishments. And the word fits. An energetic personality. etc.
Do they get hauled to HR?
Honestly, I doubt it would be made a huge deal of for a one off situation but it might be suggested to the speaker to choose adjectives more carefully. Energetic instead of vivacious, to use your example. Sounds like semantics but some words are more loaded than others. Most corporate environments are less likely to jump at offense than it appears academia does these days.
What was the exact response he received? And who is making these calls?
May be related, may not be but my daughter has mentioned some female professors in particular that she has come across as very sensitive about this kind of stuff. Ex: insisting on being called Dr. so and so when all other profs go by first name, emphasis on trying to be taken “seriously”. I think the academic world has been so historically sexist and skewed towards males that it doesn’t surprise me if it is a sensitive topic for some women in the field. Not trying to excuse it, @gouf78, but to put some context around it.
Somebody takes them aside discreetly and clues them in that “vivacious” is inappropriate in a professional context.
Lively, ebullient, animated, high-spirited, vibrant, exuberant…all synonyms I can think of off the top of my head. I would be rolling by eye-balls if a woman complained about being called vivacious…I really would roll my eyeballs and assume they were horribly insecure which frankly I’m beginning to think some women are deep inside. Frankly I don’t take crap from men and if they want to tell me they like my clothes I’d probably high five 'em and say “Thanks.” I’ve complimented many a guy on a particularly cool tie. If someone wants to call me vivacious, I’ll take it. I can accept a compliment graciously…ooops is being gracious a bad female term?
I agree that “vivacious” is a stupid word to use to describe someone in a professional setting-- especially to describe one’s superior.
But just because it’s stupid, doesn’t mean it’s sexist. Some things are just unisex stupid.
I also think it’s childish & unprofessional for someone in such a high position of power to make such a big deal out of a WELL MEANING gesture by a subordinate.
Corollary to the Spiderman Credo:
With great power comes the privilege to be gracious.