Pet hate - being asked for a title

Mojisola

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

Before this thread I hadn't realised that it wasn't a new thing. I didn't realise it had been going 40/50 plus years.

It was first used back in the 1600s when Ms, Mrs and Miss were all used as abbreviations for the honorific 'Mistress' - back in the days when men and were called Master and women Mistress.

It was revived in the early 1900s in America as a simple alternative to Mr.

It was the early 1960s that it started to take off in the UK.

Person_one

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

Well not really no. But it does also in a lot of people's minds, make people think you are divorced, which isn't true.

But all that aside, it really does come down to the fact that I just don't like it.

Again though, why does it matter if someone mistakenly thinks you are divorced? (I really don't think its the case at all anymore though, maybe 20 years ago, or if the woman using it is over 60).

Georgiegirl256

Person_one wrote: »

Again though, why does it matter if someone mistakenly thinks you are divorced? (I really don't think its the case at all anymore though, maybe 20 years ago, or if the woman using it is over 60).

Again, it doesn't really. But I'm not divorced, and until an alternative title that doesn't have people thinking that comes into play then I'll continue using Mrs.

But like I said, it really does come down to not liking the sound of it tbh. It sounds pretentious to me.

Mojisola

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

Again, it doesn't really. But I'm not divorced, and until an alternative title that doesn't have people thinking that comes into play then I'll continue using Mrs.

But if lots of us use Ms (whether we are single, married, divorced, widowed, feminists or gay - all things I've been told 'Ms' means!) then others will come to understand far sooner.

Alter_ego

Nationwide banking asked me to "select" a title from a dropdown list. I selected Lord, the service in branch has been fantastic!

Dill

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

I just don't like he sound of Ms, I think it sounds daft.

It's also politically loaded, which not everyone wants.
Maybe the OP should have done a Poll and offered different options for people to choose from :rotfl:

Mojisola

Dill wrote: »

It's also politically loaded, which not everyone wants.

What do you mean by this?

missbiggles1

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

The real reason why I don't use Ms? It's one of the reasons yes. The others being that no matter what anyone says, when people hear it, they either think you're divorced or a raging feminist.



Probably yes

Before this thread I hadn't realised that it wasn't a new thing. I didn't realise it had been going 40/50 plus years.

I don't know where you can have been!:)

Since I left university at the end of the 70s, I had around 10 jobs in 30 years and can honestly say that betwen 10% and 30% of my female co workers used the title Ms, in a variety of job fields and all around the UK.

I don't really understand how anybody can think it's a new thing.

Dill

Mojisola wrote: »

What do you mean by this?

I think the title Ms. has underlying connotations that some, but not all, women would identify with.

Torry_Quine

Person_one wrote: »

Would it be so terrible for people to think you were a feminist? After all, it just means you believe that men and women are of equal worth, that's not so extreme is it?

I do consider myself feminist as in men and women are equal, however the term is often used for those with views I don't agree with.

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Perception is totally irrelevant if the facts are incorrect.

Not really, being perceived as something I'm not does matter.

missbiggles1 wrote: »

I don't know where you can have been!:)

Since I left university at the end of the 70s, I had around 10 jobs in 30 years and can honestly say that betwen 10% and 30% of my female co workers used the title Ms, in a variety of job fields and all around the UK.

I don't really understand how anybody can think it's a new thing.

its new to me as well and until recently on MSE didnt realise it had been around for so long..