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Original poster

‘Sir’ and ‘Miss’ in schools is everyday sexism

258 replies

putyourshoesonnow · 27/03/2025 14:16

To me the terms ‘Sir’ and ‘Miss’ are unequal because ‘Sir’ is a term of respect whilst ‘Miss’ has less gravitas as it has connotations of youth, juniority and marital status and can be seen as diminishing to adult women.

This has bugged me for a while, as I think it is exactly the wrong message that young people should be receiving in school.

A perfect alternative may not exist, but surely we can do better than this?

YABU - Sir and Miss are fine, no problem here
YANBU - Sir and Miss are too unequal and we should seek an alternative

OP posts:
tiredofthisusername · 27/03/2025 14:24

Oh don't be so silly.

Children don't think like that. They do not have the built-in adult connotation of 'Sir' being any more prestigious than 'Miss'. Why would they?

Rewis · 27/03/2025 14:24

Miss and sir are not equal. But I also think we should give up on the titles.

TheCountofMountingCrispBags · 27/03/2025 14:23

There used to be an advert, many decades ago, that concluded with the line, spoken by a little girl'when I grow up, mummy says I'm going to be a proper little madam'
So, madam no better than miss in terms of connotation, altho madam also associated with brothels...
Ma'am perhaps? 😃

Snorlaxo · 27/03/2025 14:23

It is unequal but I’d like to hear what teachers think because they are the ones being called Sir or Miss.

I went to private school and we used Mr X /Miss Y/Ms Z

melisma · 27/03/2025 14:22

My son's (state) school asks the pupils to address the teachers by Sir and Ma'am.

Bluevelvetsofa · 27/03/2025 14:21

DancingOctopus · 27/03/2025 14:18

I think pupils at some schools address women teachers as " Madam". I don't know if this is a regional thing.

They certainly did that at a school I worked in near London. ‘She’s alright, that Madam’ was said about me by one lad.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 27/03/2025 14:19

It was Sir and Madam at my school - bog standard state comp.

DancingOctopus · 27/03/2025 14:18

I think pupils at some schools address women teachers as " Madam". I don't know if this is a regional thing.

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