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Au revoir, Mademoiselle! France bans word for 'Miss' from official documents because it suggests a woman is 'available'

By staff 22/02/2012 09:20:00

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Term for 'maiden name' also ditched because of 'connotations of virginity'

By Simon Tomlinson

Last updated at 2:10 PM on 22nd February 2012

'Sexist': French women will no longer have to reveal whether they are married or not on official documents

France has abolished the 'sexist' term Mademoiselle from all official documents because it suggests a woman is 'available'.

Prime minister Francois Fillon said the word - the French equivalent of 'Miss' - discriminates against women by asking them to reveal if they are married.

He has also banned the phrase 'nom de jeune fille' meaning 'maiden name' from all paperwork because it is 'archaic' and has 'connotations of virginity'.

In a major victory for French feminists, the change was revealed in an official decree to ministries and regional authorities yesterday.

From now on, Mademoiselle should be replaced with 'Madame', the female equivalent of 'Monsieur', because it does not indicate marital status, the order said.

And maiden name must be swapped for 'family name' or 'name of usage', Mr Fillon's order said.

But the changes would come into force gradually as 'current stocks of paperwork run out' for economic reasons, it stated.

The move was praised by feminist campaigners groups Osez le Feminisme (Dare feminism) and Les Chiennes de Garde (Guard Bitches), who said it now put women on an equal footing to men.

Dare Feminism spokeswoman Julie Muret said: 'Contrary to popular belief, it is not flattering to tell a woman she's available, particularly in a professional context.

'Mademoiselle harks back to the term 'oiselle', which means "virgin" or "simpleton".'

Driving changes: French Prime Minister Francois Fillon revealed his intent in an official decree to ministries and regional authorities

The equivalent word for men of 'Damoiseau' - meaning squire - was abolished decades ago, Ms Muret said.

She added: 'That disappeared because it was an old-fashioned and outmoded title, and the same should be happening to Mademoiselle.

'These days men are never asked if they are married if they wanted to get a credit card or a mobile phone or pay their taxes.'

In Britain and the US, the term 'Ms' was available, in Portugal, Denmark and Germany only the madame form is used, and in Quebec it is seen as rude to use the term mademoiselle, she said.

Ms Muret added: 'France was pracitally the last country where women have been obliged to reveal if they are married, and we welcome the concrete results of our campaign to have this changed.'

The feminsist groups were now calling on companies and private organisations to follow the move by removing the terms from their own documents, she said.

Miss it out: The move is a major victory for French feminists, such Les Chiennes de Garde, who have been campaigning for 'sexist' terms to be scrapped

The nationwide changes come after two towns, in Britanny and Normandy banned the term 'mademoiselle' two months ago after pressure from a local women's groups.

French solidarity minister Roselyne Bachelot had been demanding an end to 'discriminatory' titles since last year.

Ms Bachelot said: 'It is an invasion of privacy to ask a woman to identify herself as single or married.

'We don't ask men to do the same thing. All we want is complete equality on how we treat the sexes on official government forms.'

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