Does any girl or woman actually think of herself as a "chick"?

As a mature penguin, I can only say I looked in the mirror and said, “I’m a chick” when I was very young.

Um…no.

It’s whimsical. Tongue in cheek. Poetical. I don’t look in the mirror and think that. When I look in the mirror, I’m likely to call myself an old chook. More of a boiler hen. Past my laying days. So my choice of ‘chick’ is satirical, you might say. Sort of like your photo of Cate Blanchett, or janbb’s Penguin. You’re unlikely Cate Blanchett and Janbb is even less likely a penguin, and I’d bet Dutchess isn’t really royalty.

Am too!

Beg your pardon, ma’m.

That’s “Your highness” to you @ScienceChick! ~

(actually, a duchess is formally addresses as ‘Your Grace’... and it’s spelled duchess, without a t in English. dutchess with a t is an archaic spelling)

I think the “t” is a device to connote Dutch royalty.

@ScienceChick Oh, you’re totally a chick.

Yes, I know @ScienceChick. The name was given to me over 11 years ago on another website. My original user name there was DutchCat, a nod to my Dutch heritage. But then…well, there was a battle and a lot of fun and I was knighted “Dutchess. And Dutchess I’ve been ever since. And don’t mansplain to me that only males can be knighted.