Gransnet forums

Chat

Mrs, Miss or Ms

(207 Posts)
Leticia Sat 08-Aug-15 08:50:06

Which are you?
I am Mrs and can't stand Ms, but militant feminists think I am a disgrace to womanhood; apparently we can't be equal to men while we have a title that shows marital status and they don't.
I am all for free choice and using people's preferred title.
What is your opinion?

nightowl Sat 08-Aug-15 08:51:46

Ms. Always.

Iam64 Sat 08-Aug-15 08:57:08

Ms. Does that make me a militant feminist and is that a term of abuse smile

Lona Sat 08-Aug-15 09:00:19

Usually Mrs, but not really bothered as long as people are polite to me.

hildajenniJ Sat 08-Aug-15 09:03:22

Mrs. I have always been proud to be Mrs hjj. When you marry and take your husband's name I think it is only right to use the title Mrs.

Leticia Sat 08-Aug-15 09:14:10

Ms is fine if you choose it.
Do you tell other women they ought to use it?
That is the bit that upsets me. If someone is Ms I use it,
but expect the same courtesy back with Mrs and don't feel that it needs to be discussed or justified.
I hardly ever use my title now anyway - since retired I mainly use my name alone. Both names if in a formal situation.

Marmark1 Sat 08-Aug-15 09:15:57

Mrs,have been for 45 years.
Couldn't care less about what some silly little insecure radical feminist thinks.Heres one very strong capable female,who doesn't need any ones permission.

Nelliemoser Sat 08-Aug-15 09:31:30

I can't really get excited by this issue at all. I do live a very independent life as a woman anyway so how I am addressed does not really worry me.

I would violently object to being called Mrs OH Moser though that is demeaning and very outdated now.

kittylester Sat 08-Aug-15 09:32:25

Mrs and I am proud to use it. I am who I am and one of the things I am is a wife and mother. I do not belong to DH but I am proud that he and I are a team and that is what my title implies.

Jane10 Sat 08-Aug-15 09:35:29

Not fussed. Usually just use first two names. Dr is nice an unisex so sometimes that.

Grannyknot Sat 08-Aug-15 09:35:58

Funny, I also dislike the buzzy Mzzzzz. I very seldom use a title but when I do I'm a Missus.

My daughter caused a minor upset when she got married last year and announced she wasn't taking on her husband's surname because "I like mine more" and - "double-barrelled names because you've got married are ridiculous ".

annodomini Sat 08-Aug-15 09:37:17

I've been a Mrs in the past but now tick the Ms box when required to describe myself. I wish I had returned to my maiden name whe X decamped but at the time the DSs were early teens and I thought it best to have the same surname as they had.

annodomini Sat 08-Aug-15 09:40:04

PS I am NOT 'some silly little insecure radical feminist'. I am a feminist but don't see why I should be described as Mrs when I'm not. And I am certainly not insecure. Radical? What does that mean?

nightowl Sat 08-Aug-15 09:46:29

Silly little insecure radical feminist? What's that all about Marmark?

I wish I had never changed my name on marriage Grannyknot, so I admire your DD on that score. It does seem a very outdated practice.

ginny Sat 08-Aug-15 09:47:11

Me...Mrs. Why not ? I'm married but my name does nor define me. Although I did like my own surname better.

DD1 ...Divorced...use Ms. as she still wants to have the same surname as her son.

DD2...Single.. Miss. Says I'm not married, and not ashamed of the fact so what's the problem.

DD3..newly married...happy to be Mrs. says it doesn't make her any body but who she is.

All strong, feisty women who know who they are.

sunseeker Sat 08-Aug-15 09:55:25

I don't care how anyone refers to me (as long as its polite!). I use Mrs because I have used it for over 40 years and am used to it. If someone introduces themselves to me as Ms then that's how I address them, if they want to refer to me as Ms then that's fine with me.

Nelliemoser Sat 08-Aug-15 09:58:43

I thought about the name change on marriage and changed as I didn't particularly like my surname.
I had a four letter first name and four letter surname on marriage.

All I did was change a four letter surname near the beginning of the alphabet to a four letter name near the end. I would have liked a surname with a few more syllables in. It rolls off the tongue better.

merlotgran Sat 08-Aug-15 10:00:22

I've been a Mrs for 47 years but I often get mail addressed to Ms which doesn't bother me one bit.

I couldn't wait to change my name when I married because I preferred it to my maiden name and it's what you did in those days anyway.

I agree that double barrelled names are unecessary. Something else that has travelled across the Atlantic although you do see quite a few on a school register when divorced or separated parents get a new partner.

Indinana Sat 08-Aug-15 10:07:25

At 21 I was so excited to take my DH's name, so I happily became Mrs, with no thought (never mind objection!) that I was using a form that implied I was surrendering my identity to my DH.
These days I usually just give my first and second names with no title, unless officialdom requires it.
I think if I was 21 today and about to get married I might opt to keep my maiden name (and what an outdated expression that is!) and use Ms where I was required to give a title.

henetha Sat 08-Aug-15 10:50:40

I'm not really that bothered, and yet I still use Mrs even though I am both divorced and widowed. Part of me wants to be Ms, but it's so awkward to pronounce... sounds like an angry bee.

baubles Sat 08-Aug-15 11:05:09

First and second name whenever I can get away with that. One bank card is mrs another ms, when completing on line forms I usually use ms but actually I'm not too bothered how I'm addressed. I'll answer to anything as long as it's polite.

Elayne Sat 08-Aug-15 11:11:28

I have had my married surname longer than my maiden name. I was only married for 3 years until we split but still use Mrs. When I had my son by another man (after I was divorced) I gave him my ex husband's surname, as his dad was not on the scene. I chose to keep Mrs to save any awkwardness for the children. Old fashioned I know but that is me.

If I am addressed politely I do not really mind.

janeainsworth Sat 08-Aug-15 11:13:11

I know someone whose DS has just adopted his new wife's surname.
Does that make him a radical feminist or just right on?
wink

Alea Sat 08-Aug-15 11:39:12

Mrs but 25 years in Secondary teaching of being addressed as "Mi-iss!"
Some would ask "Are you Mrs, miss?" confused
Doesn't matter does it?
One DD Has taken her husband's name, another hasn't (although I do address joint communications to them as Mr and Mrs X ) and the third intends to keep her maiden name when she marries later this year as it is also how she is known professionally. What she does on her passport etc. who knows?

Indinana Sat 08-Aug-15 12:21:23

I know several couples who have retained both surnames, often with the wife's surname appearing last, so that John Smith and Mary Brown would appear as Mr and Mrs Smith Brown. This seems to be a growing trend. I have a contact on Facebook, a divorcee twice over, whose username includes all three of her surnames, so that anyone searching for her would be able to find her whichever surname they use.