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Topic: Letters Sent to Romenesko
Date/Time: 10/3/2005 3:34:00 PM
Title: Ms. and NYT
Posted By: Jim Romenesko
 
From DANIEL RADOSH: Brian Gallagher's confusion about the use of "Ms." in identifying Valerie Wilson stems from an unnecessary conflation of two choices women have to make: which honorific to use and whether or not to change their names when marrying. By no means does a preference in the latter indicate one in the former. Many women take their husbands' names for personal reasons, but still believe on principle that a woman's title should not be determined by her marital status. Having been called "Ms." instead of "Miss" before marriage, they are unlikely to suddenly decide after marriage that they now wish to identify themselves to the world primarly as "a woman with a husband," as opposed to as an independent woman who may or may not share her husband's name.

As for the Times style, it's amusing to note how much has changed. When my mother was quoted in the paper some 25 years ago, the reporter asked if she preferred "Miss" or "Mrs." Mom, who had kept my father's name after her divorce but now thought of "Mrs. Radosh" as her mother-in-law, requested "Ms." Sorry, she was told, the Times doesn't condone that feminist clap-trap; it would have to be Miss or Mrs. "OK," said mom, trotting out her Ph.D, "make it Dr. Radosh."

That settled that.

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