Actors and Actresses

While on the subject the thing that really grates with me is the term "Chair". I don't see why it matters whether you are a Chairman or a Chairwoman, it's just a description. But a chair is an item of furniture not a person.

Should we think about dropping mothers and fathers and just be parents?

Agree that no gender references are needed but would add that, as usual, there was a ( female) conductor on the bus that brought me home today.
At other times we might have a male conductor and female driver but haven't heard of a driveress!

I was a waitress for quite a number of years - and more than happy not to be called a waiter. However, later in my working life I was a manager - and did not like being called a manageress - completely illogical, I know.

I still say "actor" and "actress" are not interchangeable jobs, so separate words are appropriate.

But tell you what: I am an executor to my step-mum's will, and I refuse to style myself as "executrix". Ridiculous word! No one says it in normal conversation; and in this case I am doing just the same job as a male executor would. There is absolutely no need for different words. We don't say "solicitrix" or "barristress", so why do pernickity legal people use "executrtix"?

Deedaa , single sex schools are known to empower girls who do better academically and gain in confidence. Adding the ess, does imo, belittle women.
I'm with Maw, Suzied, Nellie and others here who say its out dated and unnecessary to add an ess to waiter, actor, to call Headteachers anything but that and so on. No need for gender to be specified. That doesn't mean I'm a blob or would be happy to ditch Ms iam and become Mrs or Mr X

I don't really see why adding the ess should be belittling women? Perhaps It's because I went to an all girls school and there was never any suggestion that we were in anyway inferior. Perhaps we should scrap Mrs, Miss and Ms and just all be Mr?

I would object to being called an Actress instead of an Actor. Or other such out dated term.
I full agree with Maw, Suzied others on this.
Conductor, Doctor, Waiter.

Anniebach It should be just a "Headteacher" no gender reference needed..
(When did any of us last see a bus conductor on any bus .)

Great post Bluebelle

It's just that if I'm reading about an actor I haven't come across before I like to have a picture of them in my mind. It's difficult to do if you don't know what sex they are and some of their names are no help at all.

In Italy you have Dottore and Dottoressa and, my favourite, Professor and Professoressa and no one seems to mind.

And what about 'male nurse'? It's usually easy enough to tell which sex a nurse is.

I agree, Bluebelle. Why does it matter which sex your doctor, lawyer, waiter, musician, gardener, etc is? People are people. I used to hate being described as a 'woman doctor'. I was never a gynaecologist!

I think they should all be actors if you see a unknown doctor or dentist you don’t know if they are male or female till you walk in the room doctor is a unisex title as is pilot you don’t have pilotesses or even shop assistant you have a violinist a cellist a drummer none denote their gender a cyclist a runner a hurdler in fact the more you think about it the fewer occupations you can think of with a gender based name a vet, a vicar, a bus driver, gardener, all I can think of is midwife but that’s confusing because you can get male midwives ?

Auntyflo, I put it as a question

Yes, "Headteacher" is the normal term, certainly in the State sector.

"Conductress" (aka "Clippie") was certainly normal usage on the buses in my youth. As we no longer seem to have conductors of either gender, that one's a bit academic.

As for actors/actresses: I think there's a valid distinction here, as the jobs are not interchangeable. I know that exceptions are sometimes made, e.g. in some Shakespearean productions - and in panto! -but in general, if you are casting Hercule Poirot or James Bond, you'll want an actor, not an actress.

Annie, aren't they all Headteachers these days?

I don’t mind in the least that professions should be gender neutral but it is nice to know if you’re dealing with a man or a woman. I’d hate for us all to become It’s. We had someone come to inspect a large tree in our garden which has a preservation order on it. (We would like a couple of metres taken off a branch which overhangs too much.) The person who came to inspect it has proved a problem. Neither of us could tell if we were speaking to a young man or a woman. Our application was of course refused and I’ve appealed but it took a bit of thought to fill in the forms without using him or her, he or she or knowing their name when quoting his/her reasons for declining our request.

When the written report of the visit eventually came through it was signed but that was no help at all. S/he is named Alex!

We have Headmasters and Headmistresses do we not ?

Aha - thanks Mawbroon - but I'm pretty sure a bus conductor was a conductress? But I agree with you on the orchestra front - life and the spoken / written word aren't complex at all.

Off to a cafe for lunch now, so I'll ask the person who serves us if they are a server or a waiting on person - I think I can see server might be easier than waiting on person.

"Person goes into a pub and says to the bar person ....."

Not a good way to start a joke -oh no, I feel a minefield coming on!!

I don't know. Teachers used to be masters or mistresses, there were chefs and cooks etc. It's sort of reverse feminism to pretend that gender differences don't exist. They do exist and they are of interest.

Juliette this reminded me of when parents were invited to look round the High School before the 'gels' started - this was in the 1950s.
DM mentioned something about 'teachers' and was immediately put in her place by the Headmistress who said 'We don't have teachers at this school Mrs M, they are all mistresses.
DM was duly chastened

We did acquire a Master later on as well. Poor man

Was the “ess” really seen to be infantilising women or is that just a take on the reason? I thought it denoted which gender say a writer (authoress/author) was. Is that seen to be a bad thing now? I agree with Juliette and gillybob. In future there will be no need for male/female. All will be a blob. (Who was it who suggested turkey basters as a way of procreation? I am relieved I will not be around in the future, “life Jim, but not as we know it”).

I remember the first wedding we went to conducted by a female vicar. This was pre Vicar of Dibley days and DS whispered to me, 'Is she a vicette or a vicesse or something?'

It made me giggle because I hadn't considered a child might be puzzled as to what to call her.

I agree with Juliette there will be no such thing as a woman, girl, lady,miss, mrs etc. we will also just be "person" or "it".

There’ll come a day when we are all known as men. That should sort it nicely, no chance of infantilising women in any area.

Do you know Mawbroon you really made me think there, and you are right.
I was a bit sniffy about actors all being called actors, but you have changed my mind. Thank you.