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AIBU?

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Original poster

The word actress?

132 replies

dottypotter · 02/02/2023 12:27

Everyone is an actor these days.
Females are not referred to as actresses any more.
A female is an actress.
Have I missed something?
Anyone else noticed?

OP posts:
midgetastic · 02/02/2023 19:38

Actress doesn't have to be considered lesser but it's well known that across society women are seen as lesser and the more that we emphasis differences the more we reinforce that concept

So if we want to stress that there is a sex difference we need to be sure it's necessary and true or we just make it easy for people to discriminate against us ( because we told them we are so different we need a different word to describe our acting capability)

Female and male actors are fundamentally the same in regards to their ability to act

I suspect part of the problem is that people feel actor is a male default ( well it is ) but what is wrong with the male default word becoming the sex neutral word

Krakenes · 02/02/2023 19:38

Imisscoffee2021 · 02/02/2023 19:28

It's an interesting example of how, in fighting to be seen as equal with men, it has revealed that there are negative connotations to the feminine version of the same profession. Actress should be as respected as actor, but for some reason it has been seen as less than by women in that profession and they have fought to use actor. Why is actress lesser?

Same way that women have been seen for years to be ‘lesser’ in the majority of professions. It really sucks!!

BigFatLiar · 02/02/2023 19:44

Why is actress lesser?

It isn't lesser its just a reference to a female actor rather than a male actor. The negative connotations come because we get told that actress is lesser by people who want to change the way we use words.

Just waiting now for Davaid Tennant to turn up as Ophelia in Hamlet after answering an add for an actor.

jcyclops · 02/02/2023 19:46

Llovecookies · 02/02/2023 13:11

What's the neutral word for a seamstress?

Apparently it is seamster, but I bet they end up as machinists or promote themselves to tailor.

GordonShakespearedoesChristmas · 02/02/2023 19:48

I was arguing the early 80s that I was a Manager, not a Manageress. The latter was deemed lesser than the former, and I objected to that.
Same with Actor/ Actress.

GordonShakespearedoesChristmas · 02/02/2023 19:49

GreaterStickle · 02/02/2023 13:02

YANBU. It’s so silly. This sort of thing is exactly what puts “feminism” in a bad light.

No it is not.
Men used to laugh at me in 1982 when I was in charge.
I fought it.
And won.
Wind your neck in. Please.

GordonShakespearedoesChristmas · 02/02/2023 19:50

ScrollingLeaves · 02/02/2023 13:04

Waitress is demeaning compared to waiter in that the latter is more respected, but I don’t think the same is true of ‘actress’ which personally I much prefer.

Are you a Thespian then?

GordonShakespearedoesChristmas · 02/02/2023 19:50

FuckabethFuckor · 02/02/2023 13:06

I'd answer you but I'm just on the way back from the doctress.

Love it!

GordonShakespearedoesChristmas · 02/02/2023 19:51

Llovecookies · 02/02/2023 13:11

What's the neutral word for a seamstress?

Seamster

Imisscoffee2021 · 02/02/2023 19:53

@BigFatLiar @Krakenes I don't think actress is lesser, I just meant it's a shame that the feminine form of the word for the profession is seen as that, and that women need to use the male version to be taking as seriously.

Maireas · 02/02/2023 19:55

GreaterStickle · 02/02/2023 13:02

YANBU. It’s so silly. This sort of thing is exactly what puts “feminism” in a bad light.

Why have you put the word feminism in inverted commas?

KimberleyClark · 02/02/2023 19:55

The Oscar category is still Best Actress. Personally I don’t see the need for separate sex categories, acting is acting. There should be a single best actor category. Men do not have a better chance of winning based on their superior strength and speed and sex does not have any appreciable bearing on acting ability.

Maireas · 02/02/2023 19:57

GordonShakespearedoesChristmas · 02/02/2023 19:48

I was arguing the early 80s that I was a Manager, not a Manageress. The latter was deemed lesser than the former, and I objected to that.
Same with Actor/ Actress.

Good for you ✊

jcyclops · 02/02/2023 20:03

The bigger awards ceremonies such as Oscars and Golden Globes still give awards to actors and actresses. Some, such as the Screen Actors Guild still give two awards but have categories such as "Female Actor in a Leading Role" or "Actor in a Leading Role (Female)" and a very small number have a single award "Best Actor" open to everyone. I wonder how long they debated Eddie Redmayne's nomination for playing Lili Elbe in The Danish Girl.

Cricket replaced the term batsman with batter in the rules, but that still left "third man" and "nightwatchman" for people to decide for themselves as they are never mentioned in the rules - with "third" and "nightwatch" seeming to be favoured. Interesting that our successful European Football team are called the Lionesses, as are Millwall.

Badgerstmary · 02/02/2023 20:07

I can understand policeman becoming police officer, but scrapping actresses & only using actor, what has always been the male version, seems to me to be a step backwards. Just a shame a different variant couldn’t be used. I just can’t work out what it would be.

lljkk · 02/02/2023 20:16

I liked the word actress, to me it felt empowering & special & beyond simply being an actor.

ErrolTheDragon · 02/02/2023 20:25

KimberleyClark · 02/02/2023 19:55

The Oscar category is still Best Actress. Personally I don’t see the need for separate sex categories, acting is acting. There should be a single best actor category. Men do not have a better chance of winning based on their superior strength and speed and sex does not have any appreciable bearing on acting ability.

And the numbers of parts for each sex, especially for the more mature, experienced performers are so evenly balanced... oh..wait...

Get rid of the sexism in the industry (and society at large) before ditching the sexed categories.

MarshaMelrose · 02/02/2023 21:46

midgetastic · 02/02/2023 18:51

You can have male and female awards for actors without needing the words actor and actress

We have awards for female engineers without calling them engineeresses

Why would someone who thinks having a female form of an occupation title is sexist and causes them not to be treated as equal to men, then want an award just for women. Hence not treating them as equal to men.
If men and women are equal as engineers, why not just have one award - unless women don't think they can compete with men on equal terms. Which seems a shame.

ScrollingLeaves · 02/02/2023 21:49

lljkk· Today 20:16
I liked the word actress, to me it felt empowering & special & beyond simply being an actor.

To me too, in a similar way that I think of a goddess as being much more than any old female version of a god.

BigFatLiar · 02/02/2023 21:51

Do away with the terms mother and father and replace them with parent. You could then be separately identified as the female parent or the male parent if necessary.

MarshaMelrose · 02/02/2023 21:56

BigFatLiar · 02/02/2023 21:51

Do away with the terms mother and father and replace them with parent. You could then be separately identified as the female parent or the male parent if necessary.

And just use male or female child. And male and female siblings. And male and female siblings of our male or female parent.

We could make dictionaries so much thinner and save paper.

Krakenes · 02/02/2023 21:57

BigFatLiar · 02/02/2023 21:51

Do away with the terms mother and father and replace them with parent. You could then be separately identified as the female parent or the male parent if necessary.

Well being a parent isn’t a ‘job’ you don’t get paid for it. But I actually agree with you. Drives me bonkers when people think men and women aren’t equally responsible for their children.

Krakenes · 02/02/2023 21:59

BigFatLiar · 02/02/2023 21:51

Do away with the terms mother and father and replace them with parent. You could then be separately identified as the female parent or the male parent if necessary.

Also the term ‘parent’ is fine. Doesn’t need to be either male or female, some parents are just that. Some have a female/male, male/male, female/female. I would never be offended being called a parent as that’s what I am!!

ScrollingLeaves · 02/02/2023 22:06

And birthing parent is good too.

DapperDame · 02/02/2023 22:13

ScrollingLeaves · 02/02/2023 17:17

Another reverse; I was wondering about ‘midwife’. Are there male versions? If so I think they would be called a male midwife.

We have male nurses.

In these cases it is the man being slightly stigmatised.

I understand that "midwife" derives from "med" (with) and "wife"(woman) so a person who was assisting a woman in labour. Apparently its a very old word. My second child was delivered by a male midwife!