April 28, 2006
Because the French have no real problems
That "bitches" can't solve.
A reminder of this came with news earlier this month that French feminists are petitioning to have "Mademoiselle" removed from administrative forms. The standard question on these documents--"Monsieur, Madame ou Mademoiselle?"--forces a woman "to give an indication about her availability, in particular her sexual availability." So charges the country's largest feminist group, Les Chiennes de Garde, which roughly translates as (I'm not making this up) "The Guard Bitches." Liberated women, indeed.Posted by Carine at April 28, 2006 11:42 AMWhether the French government or its male constituents use the "Madame/Mademoiselle" query out of traditional courtesy or as a "sexual availability" screening technique is beyond me, though the latter can apparently suit women's purposes, too. "It's true if a guy likes me and asks if I am madame or mademoiselle," an unnamed Frenchwoman told the BBC, "I know what he means and what it is he wants to know behind this question."
You seem to forget that this fight is only a transposition of a anglo-saxon fight which result is the use (with Miss and Mrs) of a new term: Ms.
Posted by: franck at April 28, 2006 12:52 PMHang on... is this France we are talking about? When did all this "sanctity of marriage" stuff happen there?
Posted by: Charles at April 28, 2006 06:18 PMFranck,
What?! The pledge of the Chiennes de Gardes has nothing to do with the English Ms.
But, well, visibly, that doesn't bother you too much. I'm so not surprised.
Posted by: Carine at April 28, 2006 07:31 PMTHIS IS a really big issue !!
Heehee
When I ask a woman if I should call her Madame or Mademoiselle, I never thought about whether or not she is sexually available !
But now, perhaps I will !! ;-)
Posted by: Stéphane at April 29, 2006 05:08 PMStephane, I get the feeling that you think all women are available :)
Posted by: andy at May 2, 2006 05:32 PMAfter 35 years of marriage, ALL but one woman is unavailable.
And she prefers 'queen of the universe'.
Even looking is treason...a crime for which I am constantly guilty of.
Posted by: bjbarron at May 4, 2006 01:24 PMEven looking is treason...a crime for which I am constantly guilty of.
Luckily, the conspiracy is too large to indict. But there is vigilante justice...
Posted by: Doug at May 5, 2006 04:16 PM
