So today, I made a point and the Men didn't like it.

No one really uses "Master" for a young boy.

My personal campaign is for using no title I tend to agree since if everyone gets one they aren't conferring any dignity or politeness.

The last time this was discussed I did think of one situation where they were useful. I can't now think of what it was. Possibly where a named person is being referred to several times. One might start a report about ALass Unparalleled but the subsequent references might be to Ms Unparalleled just because stylistically repeating the full name every time looks a bit laboured.

Interesting thread - well done OP.

Can you imagine how they would have fallen over themselves to change the paperwork if it was for a man and had been mistakenly entered as Ms. ? They would have called him Sir every other sentence and apologised continuously. Bet it would have taken a lot less than an hour and a half..

At the moment I use Mrs, but I'm planning to go back to work this year and will be using Ms. Married Surname as my work name because I don't want anyone to be able to make assumptions about me purely based on title in a professional sphere.

A lot of people don't want strangers using their first name. The example usually given is elderly women in hospital being called Edith rather than Mrs/Miss Jones. It suggests a familiarity that many people aren't comfortable with, particularly if in a vulnerable situation.

But just using a last name for someone would sound like you are in school or the army. "Oi, Jones! I am talking to you!"

But there is no need for different titles in the future. We could just have one for everyone.

Actually, if I were head of the world for a day, I'd ban titles.

I flummoxed a young lad once, when he asked "Is that Mrs or Miss?" I replied "Mr". (I am female.) I told him to put what he wanted, I wasn't that bothered. I never get the big fuss. First name, surname, surely that's all that's required for any situation??

What would happen if we dropped titles? Trying to think of the impact .

That's not to say you still shouldn't complain about the treatment you had howtobuild

Thanks Contessa definitely seen "Drs" all over the place on Italian firms.

Oh and I have a bank card without the title, it's not compulsory.

Why are 'titles' important?

Master for a young boy, Mr when he gets older (and heaven forbid anyone gets it wrong if he adopts another title)

Women - Miss for a young girl, and for the rest of her life unless she gets married. (and the utter confusion that ensues if she decides to adopt another title other than this binary).

If I were head of the world for a day I'd pass a law that put Ms for everyone. M for the Mr/Master, and S for the Miss/Mrs/Ms.

I think what you mean by Dr in European law firms it means that they have a graduate degree.
It should actually be dr (lower case), not Dr, or actually Doctor, AFAIK, at least where I live.

By bank still call me Miss and all my cards state 'Miss' as well

Have you asked them? My 2 Clydesdale accounts and cards have been Ms for years. One of the Bank of Scotland ones has Ms but the other has dropped the title completely.

I'm a Mrs and I hate using it but I don't like Ms or Miss either. . I really don't want to use Mr.
OP, I admire your tenacity although I'm not sure I could have been bothered

My personal campaign is for using no title.

I dated an Italian with an undergrad degree and he got called Dottore on all his correspondence - he said that people in Italy did it to show respect, even if you didn't have a PhD, ALass.

Presumably you can legally call yourself any unqualified title?

I'm a Miss who is married. I'm not breaking any law.

I assume if I asked to be referred to as Mr that would also be perfectly legal.

Thanks HoneyBadger. Interesting point - it is in a school where I am 'miss'

I'd like Dr. I've noticed in quite a number of European law firms everyone has the title "Dr".

I suppose it's possible they do all have the equivalent of UK PhDs but it seems slightly implausible and I wonder if there's some routine post-graduate Law qualification which confers "Dr"

oh and the barrister business probably comes from the time when women did not work after marriage much as all teachers are called miss (men are sir rather than mr notice - a title of respect - failing that respect title being given teachers were called miss not because miss was equivalent to sir but because it was the title all teachers had as they were all unmarried)

or hey we could just have ONE word given it surely isn't even essential announce what sex we are in our name is it?

Why do titles exist anyway?

i got what you meant annie. i thought you meant that we even have words that announce whether a woman is married or not in her title is stupid.

mr and ms seems enough words to me.

I've only skimmed the thread but just in case this point hasn't been made:

• In Germany every grown woman is Frau
• In France every grown woman is Madame
• In Canada and the US every grown woman is Ms

Regardless of marital status.

It's about fucking time the UK caught up with the rest of the world.

Maybe he could change his name by deed poll? First name Dr.

Well done you. It's infuriating isn't it.

I'm single (never married) and always correct people if they;

a) marry me off and call me Mrs
b) call me Miss when I ask to be called Ms

By bank still call me Miss and all my cards state 'Miss' as well

Why does marital status matter in this day and age?

All women should be Ms
All men should be Mr
If people want to be gender neutral that's fine too.

Lweji DH was once inadvertently mis-titled as Reverend Dr ManPlump in the BT database. He called up to complain and was connected with an overwhelmingly polite and respectful young man from Eire. DH says he has never felt so important in his life and was quite sorry to lose the title but felt guilty about accidentally causing people to respect him

As an aside, I now desperately wish he was indeed called Dr ManPlump. How awesome would that be?