Date:    Thu, 5 Mar 1998 11:33:30 -0500
<br>From:    Alan Baragona  baragonasa[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]VAX.VMI.EDU 
<br>Subject: Re: Ms.
<br>
<br>JANE M SPALDING-JAMIESON wrote:
<br> 
<br>snip
<br> 
<br>  These experiences brought me to this conclusion:
<br> 
<br>  - When you live in a more traditional community, perhaps only
<br>  divorced or homosexual women, who have to brave being different
<br>  anyways, would use a less traditional term such as Ms.
<br>  - This may lead to the conclusion by others in such a community, that
<br>  the meaning of Ms. ACTUALLY IS "divorced, widowed or homosexual
<br>  woman."
<br>
<br>This seems to me to be a very reasonable conclusion about what is going
<br>on socially and psychologically.
<br>
<br>  - Obviously this was not the intent of those who first coined the
<br>  term! And hopefully we can continue to preserve its original sense,
<br>  that of NOT classifying women by their marital status.
<br> 
<br>
<br>Which leads to the question of whether or not the term's originally
<br>intended use is salvageable in the face of widespread reinterpretation.
<br>
<br>Alan B.
<br>