To be frustrated by the misunderstanding of the honorific 'Ms' ?

[ChinkChink]

Inspired by another thread.

I've come across many people who believe that 'Ms' is the honorific for a divorced woman, rather than the female equivalent of 'Mr'. People including several employers, managers, supervisors etc, plus friends and family who I'd normally regard as clued up. And many of them women.

I do welcome the introduction of the term 'Mx' as a title to be used when gender is irrelevant [almost always!] but I fear that Mx will go the same way - people will interpret it as a title for someone who is [for example] transgender.

What say you, MN massive?

Ms implies radical feminist/lesbian

Ha ha! If only.

Do you mean you won't accept other women wanting to call themselves Ms?

no, it is entirely up to them what they want to be called. If someone is Ms, I call them Ms, its no big deal, but I have been asked why I won't use it for myself, and have answered.

I've been a Ms for decades and pronounce it Ms. No zzzz for me. Maybe we do need a lesson in global pronunciation then arses wouldn't be afraid of using it sensibly.

I used to use Ms but as someone else says it doesn't really roll off the tongue.

I mostly use Miss, channelling Miss Elizabeth Taylor and Miss Sophia Loren etc.

About as far from fussy old cat ladies as you can get. But then I certainly don't see marriage as any kind of status.

This thread clearly shows how widespread some fairly basic assumptions and prejudices are.

I've always explained it as:
Miss - unmarried
Mrs - married
Ms - marital status is irrelevant

I've used it since at least 1980 and have never had anyone assume I'm divorced. Even schoolchildren realise it means 'it's not your business whether I'm married'!

Because to me Ms is always going to mean "ashamed of who I am and the decisions I have made"

Ashamed of being a woman? I didn't have much deciding to do over that.

If Ms means 'ashamed of the decisions I've made', why does 'Mr' not mean the same thing?

'I worked very hard to qualify to be a "Mrs." and shall never relinquish that title!'

Lweji, I'm thinking a faked serious disease, at least one identity theft, some sort of abandonment in Amazonian Jungle and a dream sequence.

I'm married and just use Miss, never been an issue for me.

Personally I think in modern society all women should just use Miss since marital status is nolonger important.

I am very much 'that type of female'.

I have used Ms since I was around 16. Never been divorced, happily married for 20 years.

Miss is for little girls in the same way Master is for little boys.

Somewhere in their teens they move from little kid titles to grown up titles which is to me Mr for Men and Ms for Women.

I am in Oz though and as someone up thread said this is pretty much the default now. The only 'Mrs' I know are of my mother's generation.

I don't have any friends under 50 who use Miss or Mrs.

I have never met someone who wanted to be addressed as Ms. Honestly.

'I worked very hard to qualify to be a "Mrs." and shall never relinquish that title!'

I'm thinking years of training in primary school in housework, how to walk correctly, piano playing and singing. Then lots of wafting about in dresses at balls trying to catch the eye of a young first lieutenant.

I read a lot of Jane Austen in my youth.

derxa

Cooee - me - over here!

@derxa now you've met two. And it's not like I go around telling people I am ms. But if asked, my preference is ms. So there You go, an exciting new experience for you!

If someone is Ms, I call them Ms, its no big deal, but I have been asked why I won't use it for myself, and have answered.

You also kindly shared your opinions of those who do use Ms. Don't sell yourself short!

@derxa now you've met two. And it's not like I go around telling people I am ms. But if asked, my preference is ms. So there You go, an exciting new experience for you!

@derxa :D

'I worked very hard to qualify to be a "Mrs." - I've heard that while most people go to university to get their B.Sc or MBA letters, some go for Mrs..

Great ideas on how to work to become a Mrs.

Maybe she just meant working at planning her wedding.

I was thinking of kissing fucking many frogs.

Please do tell us. I'd hate to be left wondering.

'I worked very hard to qualify to be a "Mrs."
I can't help it, I keep coming back to this ^
Funniest statement I've ever read on MN

Oh the delusions some people live their lives under.

I worked very hard to qualify to be a "Mrs." and shall never relinquish that title!

The mind boggles at what you had to do.

The women teachers at my sons' schools simply tell the children how they'd like to be addressed and the children do it. And that's that.
I always ask women how they'd like to be addressed if it's not a first name term environment.

PS: Paradoxical- she's walking with a book on her head, I'm hoping.