Would you get rid of the titles "Miss" and "Mrs" and use just "Ms" if you could?

[peppaistired]

I would like to campaign somewhere about this. I don't see the point in having so many titles around for women, and only one and simple for men: "Mr"
After all, why should people or society care if we're married, or single? They don't seem to care in the case of men, why is there still an issue with women's marital status?

Yes.

It has taken 3 years to get the garage I use to change my title for Mrs (not ever been married) - and what did they change it to, even though I'd said Ms (pronounced Ms not Mizz) - Miss. If I hadn't paid for servicing up front I would be finding a different garage.

Makes me feel 12.

Conversely - why does it matter what your professional title is when checking into a hotel, or completing an online application form? It doesn't., not one jot. If you're going to campaign for the removal of Miss and Mrs, perhaps you could push for the removal of ALL extraneous titles unless specifically required?

I agree I am always Ms, although I did quite enjoy being called mrs the day after my wedding, the novelty wore off quite quickly and I regained my feminist sensibilities

I'd suggest the reason people often aren't able to articulate the reason they don't like it, is because the reason they don't like it is simply to do with not liking change, and the feeling of loosing a long standing tradition. That's quite a normal way for people to feel about a lot of things whether they really agree with the reason behind the tradition or not.

No, I'm proud to be married to my dh and we are very happy.
It doesn't define me as belonging to him, it just confirms I'm a married person.
Each to their own though, I can understand why others might not like Mrs. as a title.

How do you deal with forms Lulu. Pre internet, I can (dimly) remember just ignoring the question sometimes (on paper) but a) that usually resulted in letters addressed to 'Mr Arsenic' and b) that's just not possible in the age of aerial button.

No, absolutely not. Some women like to be Mrs or Miss. It would be very arrogant and big brother to remove their choice in the matter.
Removing the need for any title? Possibly, but what about hard earned titles,ie Doctor.

But doesn't it just seem SO WEIRD that it matters whether women are married, but not men?

And I can't imagine anyone feeling hard done by because they bought a book and it was just addressed to their name, not Doctor!

Yes, all titles, including Dr. What bearing does a Phd have on an application for an online shopping account, for example?

I really am always a bit surprised on these threads the extent to which titles are still so important in the UK. As much as I love the UK, I have to say that we Americans are much more advanced on this issue. Increasingly, in the States we are moving to no titles; most forms don't ask for titles and letters are often addressed Mary Smith and the salutation would be Dear Mary Smith. This reflects the historical Quaker practice, although that is not the reason, except perhaps in parts of Pennsylvania.

Titles are obviously much more important in the UK, but you have a lot more titles than we do (Lord, Lady, Sir, Dame, etc.); perhaps that has something to do with it.

Ms. is very common and tends to be the default title for all adult women in the US, married or not, especially in a professional context. Mrs., Miss, and Ms. are all abbreviations of Mistress. At one time unmarried women were also called Mrs. Ms. is just a modern abbreviation that returns to form. I think there is no defensible reason that in the 21st Century a woman’s title shows her marital status and a man’s doesn’t.

To those who are proud to be married. Are your husbands proud to be married to you? And if so, why don't they demand a title that announces their pride to the world as yours does?

HorizonFocus - IME the only people who hate being called Ms think that being legally connected to someone is automatically an achievement.

This, completely.

I can only think that people who are strongly attached to a title that indicates whether or not you are married are those who think the act of marriage is something important in life to everyone else, not just them and their partner. As if it is something special.

I'd get rid of Miss and Mrs in an instant for the same reason as everyone else has said. No one wants to know if a man is married. Why should women have to say?

Atia - I knew a Dr and a Prof who used to get sniffy if they weren't addressed 'correctly'. For some, a title is important - I might not understand it, but neither do I believe I have the right to dictate what people can call themselves

OP you can use Ms if you wish. There is nothing stopping you. However many women wish to use Mrs or Miss. It should be an individual's choice which title they use.

I'd be happy to get rid of Miss and Mrs, I always use Ms.

I think titles are useful sometimes.

Yes. Also get rid of titles but Mrs / miss and Ms is more important to me while we have them

Always select Ms, I'm all for equal titles (need for titles non withstanding)

On a tangent the last time I had to select my title the choices were 'Ms' or 'Mr', nothing else.

Just do away with titles altogether. Marital, gender based or professional - they are not important (unless required to demonstate your academic level or gender on a job application)

I've done that too - think I was Admiral of the Fleet . In fact, I pick and choose titles as the mood takes me.

I generally like to be a Rev if the choice arises. It would have made my grandfather very proud.

Other than that I'm a Ms. Or no title.

I want to be Air Commodore Thurlow

No, I don't like the title Ms. It's not a nice word to say and means nothing to me.

If we were going to go for just one for all if prefer Miss or Mrs, prob Miss sounds the better.

Or just no titles at all.

We should get rid of all titles. I lived for a while in Philadelphia where many people use Quaker forms of address, which are based on equality. (There is story of a Quaker in the court of Charles II who addressed him simply as Charles Stuart.) As a feminist, I find the Quaker practice very appealing, and it solves many problems, including the Dear Sir(s) or Madam business: Dear Friend.