French Women: Don't Call Me 'Mademoiselle'

French men get to be "monsieur" their whole lives, and French women would like to stick with a single honorific as well. Jezebel reports on the effort to kill "mademoiselle," a campaign backed by Osez le Feminisme (Dare to be Feminist) and Chiennes de Garde (Watch Bitches). The two groups believe that the term "madame," which is traditionally used to denote older, married women, should be used in all cases. "Mademoiselle" can be confusing, confining, and invasive, say some women: To wit, one unmarried journalist with three kids complains she's been instructed not to go by "madame" since she has no hubby. Click for more on the debate. (More France stories.)