Chapter 10. Controversial Issues

Mr., Mrs., Ms., and Mx.

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You must read each slide, and complete any questions on the slide, in sequence.
Controversial Issues
10.1: Mr., Mrs., Ms., and Mx.

In June of 2015, the New York Times ran an article that suggested a cultural shift was coming—the Oxford English Dictionary had announced the consideration of a new social title as a gender-neutral alternative to Ms. and Mr.—“Mx” (pronounced “mix”). The rationale for the addition was that with the increasing acceptance of gender fluidity, a new abbreviation such as Mx. could serve as a way to communicate that a person identifies as a mixed gender. The use of Mx. has found its way into other cultures and countries faster than it has in the United States. For example, in Britain, where gender flexibility is more readily accepted than in the United States, the Royal Bank of Scotland is now offering customers the option of Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Mx. when filling out paperwork (Rosman, 2015). Rosman noted that Mx. is not a new title; in fact, it dates back to the 1970s as an option to the Ms. abbreviation for a social title. It also appeared in the 1980s as an acceptable title in digital communications when a person did not clearly identify with one gender or was in transition from one gender to another.

Just how does this controversial issue relate to the topic of relationships? The Mx. title is not only a way for people to acknowledge their self-identity as a combination of genders but also another way for women to not title themselves in relation to another person. Obviously, the title Mr. is used for a man who is single or married, the title Mrs. is reserved for married women, and a woman who is married or single may opt for using the title of Ms. Although it is, perhaps, less common today to see married women under the age of 30 identify themselves as Mrs., the practice remains fairly common within U.S. culture.

Question 10.1

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Question 10.2

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Question 10.3

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Question 10.4

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