Can you use Ms instead of miss if you have never been married?

Question

Some one told me it meant that you were once married, although I know people who use it and have never been married. Who's right?

Answer 1

It came out in the 70's during the Women's Lib Movement and a lot of women, married and single, used it to hide whether or not they were married, since it shouldn't be important. Marital status can be a deciding factor in job interviews, though it is officially not, so some felt it was better to have an alternative to the regular labels.

Answer 2

I thought that the whole point of "Ms" was to make women and men equal - ie when a man calls himself Mr, you cannot tell whether he married or single (or cheating!).

Ms means either Mrs or Ms so yes you can use it if whether you are married or unmarried.

It's often used by feminists, people who have a complex about not being married, or when it is nobody's dam business whether you are married or not!

Answer 3

You can use Ms instead of Miss if you have never been married. I belive Ms. is more age approriate as a woman ages than Miss. Mrs. is used after you are married.

Answer 4

Ms is the term coined in the late 60's that basically means that its nobody's damned business whether you are/have been married or not. You are a female who has the right to be respectfully addressed as yourself without being linked to a male... or announcing that you are not linked to a male (and therefore available)
If you notice, Mr. does not tell people if he is married or not... why shouldn't women be addressed equally?

Answer 5

Yes. You can use Ms. Miss is for single women, Mrs. is for married women, and Ms. is universal and can be used by either.

*hope this helps*

:o)

Answer 6

You use Ms when your not married and Mrs when are you married...but you can also use Ms when you dont know if they are married or not

Answer 7

Ms seems to be the norm now if you are single
it doesn't matter if you are divorced, separated or never married
if you want to use it you can there is nothing illegal in doing so
Jeff

Answer 8

Ms is generally used when trying to contact someone and you do not know whether they are married or not.

So no problems if you use it - your call.

Hope this helps.

Answer 9

Anybody can use Ms. ...........

so you don't even have to answer the question as to your status of being single, married whatever.

Answer 10

miss is short for missus which is an unmarried lady. mrs is for married lady. ms is universal. can be used for either situation.