Let’s say there’s someone I want to call Mr/Ms/Mrs [Name], but I don’t know their gender, is there a title I can use that doesn’t assume their gender?

  • MeadSteve
    84•1 year ago

    Slightly off topic but I really like the approach where the honorific is just dropped entirely. So just [Name]. No Mr/Ms/Mrs. It mostly doesn’t serve any purpose anyway.

    • Martin
      35•1 year ago

      That’s what we did in Sweden in the 60s. It feels so archaic whenever I have to enter an honorific on documents (i.e when booking hotels and flights) from other countries.

    • cobysevEnglish
      18•1 year ago

      I spent the last 20 years in the US military, most of it being referred to as “Sergeant [cobysev].” The past year since I’ve been retired, I’ve been trying to get used to being called “Mr. [cobysev].” It’s really weird, especially since I joined the military at 18, so no one called me Mr. previously.

      • skulblaka
        4•1 year ago

        Honestly you could probably get away with just “Sarge” as a nickname. Won’t help much on official documents but it might make conversation a little more comfortable.

    • @AA5B@lemmy.world
      14•1 year ago

      I almost never see it used anymore here in the US, either. Let’s just cancel that useless title.

      On the one hand it feels really weird when someone (not a child) calls me with that phrasing - that’s my Dad plus no one does that anymore

      But on the other hand it seems disrespectful for a child to call an adult by first name, and I don’t know a better alternative

    • 🔍🦘🛎English
      3•1 year ago

      This is honestly the right answer. You can be formal without the honorific. Include any titles they may have (PHD, PE).