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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
LadyVictoriaSponge · 02/02/2023 22:13

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.

Yes that has worked out so well at the Brits……….

Florenz · 02/02/2023 22:16

What about "songstress"?

I don't think the Oscars will merge the awards, the name of the awards will probably change to best female actor and best male actor.

MarshaMelrose · 02/02/2023 22:26

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.

The oscars are just a big publicity exercise to get more bums on seats in cinemas.The ceremony promotes individual films and the industry. They won't get rid of both leading and supporting roles for different sexes because the actual actors and actresses are the biggest draws. That would just mean less oscar wins for films and fewer films would win oscars.
Doesn't make financial sense.

ScrollingLeaves · 02/02/2023 22:45

Firewoman is a nice word. More exciting than female fire-fighter.

Similarly, Superwoman is more powerful than a female superpowered person.

Who woukdn’t rather be a policewoman these days rather than be mixed in with policemen if they were both collectively called police and police person.

There is poetry and resonance in some of these women’s words with meanings not all hinting at the inferior version of the man’s.

Songstress which a poster mentioned does sound lovely.

ErrolTheDragon · 02/02/2023 23:11

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.

That one depends on the context - in letters from school etc, expectations of which working parent has to take time to look after sick kid, yes, absolutely.

In the maternity ward and post-natal period... nope.

HeavenIsAHalfpipe · 03/02/2023 22:45

100% with you @dottypotter It really gets under my skin when people call actresses 'actors' !!! They are ACTRESSES. Female 'actors' are ACTRESSES... I will never ever call them anything else, ever. They always have been actresses, and always WILL be.

Same with the dropping the 'best male artist' and 'best female artist' categories for at the Brits fuckwittery. Now it's just 'Best Artist...' Look how THAT has worked out. All the nominees this year are men! Hmm

But yeah it really jars me when I hear a woman being called an actor. Are we calling waitresses waiters now? Shall we call Kate Middleton a Prince? Shall we call The Queen Consort (Camilla) a KING?! Hmm It is not sexist, or keeping women down, to call FEMALE ACTORS actresses!!! FUXAKE!

neverevereverhavei · 05/02/2023 00:20

What does "mistress" become 😜

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