The Awful German Language (1880)

"Tomcat" is male in German, not female: Der Kater.

"Wife" is female in German, not neutral: Die Ehefrau. "Weib" is old language and rude to use these days.

And a girl is a "Mädchen", which is neuter, even though a boys is a "Knabe" and definitely male.

Amongst guys, women are still sometimes referred collectively to as "Weiber".

Fun fact: “Das Mädchen” (“little girl”, neuter) is diminutive form for “Die Mad” (“girl”, female).

All diminutives in German are neuter, for whatever reason. You could do the same for “Der Knabe” (“boy”) → “Das Knäbchen” (“little boy”).

Curiously, saying “Die Mad” would be as uncommon – at least nowadays – as saying “Das Knäbchen”.

> Curiously, saying “Die Mad” would be as uncommon – at least nowadays – as saying “Das Knäbchen”.

I liked that The Handmaids Tale in German is der Report der Magd.