*Title - The Irrelevance

Whilst signing up to a Virtual Webinar for work recently, I found I was unable to complete the registration form before disclosing the mandatory 'Title' field - for which the only options included 'Mr', 'Mrs, 'Miss', 'Ms' and 'Dr' - in that order.

Now, I am a 28 year old woman, not married, but who has paid all her own bills since she was 16, driven her own car since she was 18, lived alone for over six years, and excelled in a career and industry infamous for being dominated by men.

So, why in gods name is it relevant, important, or quite frankly, anyone's business whether I have a ring on my finger or not.

I appreciate that this probably isn't an information request with any real agenda in this particular instance, but it did make me question why there are a maximum of two options for my male colleague to select (with the only differential being whether he spent in excess of four years in university), in comparison to the four potential options for myself and other women, based on whether we are single, married, or lets face it... what is nominally used to classify a woman who appears to be of an age where she should be married, but isn't ... the dreaded 'Ms'.

Aside from an organiser or business wishing to know the demographic of their audience for marketing or analysis purposes (personal information which all individuals now have the right to consent to be used or not, anyway), and for which the very simple 'gender' field can be used, there can be no other possible reason to need or want to know the martial status of the female demographic - unless it is to subconsciously categorise these individuals further...

Is it entirely out of the question that these thoughts don't flick through people's minds when they see these titles; (Miss) She's only young. She must just be starting out... which really means 'naive' and 'doesn't know what she's on about', right? (Mrs) Well, she's planned a wedding at least, so she's got some experience. Probably more worried about the school run and not burning the dinner tonight though. (Ms) Jeez, still not married? She must be a battle-axe in the boardroom...

It is a prerequisite in this day and age that women are perceieved, recognised and treated as equals in society as a whole and I do believe that there have been some real leaps forward in this movement in recent times... albeit, still not enough.

So, is it not time also to drop the need for a title based upon martial status?

By all means keep the field, and allow people the option to disclosure their Doctorate status, or rank in the miltary or any other unbiased position based on genuine achievement, talent or excellence etc...

...but let's move into a future where titles are based on merit only...

...not on gender or martial status.