We know who kicked up a fuss about this, don't we?

[shewhomust]

I am attempting to purchase tickets online (for the William Morris exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery) and have reached the point where I am required to enter details about myself. Why? Who knows, but this is what the system requires.

The drop-down menu offers me a choice of titles: I can be Miss, Mr, Mrs, Ms or Rear-Admiral.

I am *so* tempted...

Comments

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Oh that bloody BM website drove us close to distraction! The hub eventually walked round from the office one lunchtime to make our booking! He's 'Dr' which is always good for a laugh. :o)

I was tempted to go back to get my doctorate just for the pleasure of forcing 'them' to address us as 'Dr & Dr'. :o)

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

This was the NPG - though for payment putposes it's all 'Royal Collections' apparently (I thought it was a national collection, which shows you how much I know...).

I once told my then supervisor that I was only doing the doctorate so that I'd have a decent answer to the question 'Is that Miss or Mrs?' (he was warningt me that if I was in it for the gown, mine would not be as pretty as his...). So, yes, Dr is my preferred option - if I must use a title, which by choice I don't!

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

Oh you HAVE to be a Rear-Admiral. Did J and I ever tell you about Lord Clancy?

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Nope. Tell me about Lord Clancy?

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

When J and I first arrived into Durham in 2006, we were staying in grad-student housing, which is out near the Big Tesco. Since we figured that we'd be doing a lot of Tesco shopping in the next 3 years, we signed up right away online for a Clubcard. But we've noted in the US that once one gives away one's info, the junk mail explodes outward and we weren't keen on felling British trees. We saw that there was an 'opt-out' option, but we were suspicious that it would be that easy. So, we devised a way to track our info: we signed up J's childhood dog, name of 'Clancy', with J's surname. And we were given all sorts of title options, including 'Lord'. Well, you can imagine how a pair of Yanks would appreciate that one...and so 'Lord Clancy' became the person to whom our Tesco Clubcard correspondence was addressed.

And you know what? In the 3+ years that we lived in Durham, not once did we receive junk mail/non-Tesco clubcard mail for Lord Clancy. Tesco kept our info private and was as good as their word.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Oh, well done you! (And, indeed, well done Tesco - they got that bit right).

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

You must and will be Rear-Admiral.

Did the menu include Lord, Lady, the Right Reverend, &c., &c.?

Nine

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

No, I have quoted the list in its entirety. You'd think that Dr or Professor would occur more often than Rear-Admiral, but as la_marquise_de_ points out, Rear-Admirals probably make more fuss.

[sam-t.livejournal.com]

And presumably Admirals and Vice-Admirals have minions to sign up for them.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

I imagine at some point a rear admiral contacted them about the unavailability of his title in their drop down list.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

I picture him doing it in the best G & S patter...

[durham-rambler.livejournal.com]

I have just tried to sign up for Council Tax ebilling and the choice I get is, in this order: Dr Master Miss Mr Ms Professor Rev. Mind you, the application crashes when I ask it to find my address from my postcode.

[anef.livejournal.com]

So they didn't bother to change the default from alphabetical order? I suppose you could argue that it's a non-sexist way of presenting the options...

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

I hadn't noticed that! But it's as good an order as any, I suppose.

[karinmollberg.livejournal.com]

What could possibly be the problem?? Do not hesitate a minute!