Realtor Group Drops the Term 'Master Bedroom'

A realtor group in Texas says it is going to stop using the word "master" to describe bedrooms and bathrooms because of the term's association with slavery. The Houston Association of Realtors says its listing service will now use the terms "primary bedroom" and "primary bath," CBS reports. The group says the change was first considered many years ago, and some homebuilders have already stopped using the term "master bedroom." The group said in a statement said some members considered the term racist, other thought it was sexist, and the "consensus was that Primary describes the rooms equally as well as Master while avoiding any possible misperceptions."

"The overarching message was that some members were concerned about how the terms might be perceived by some other agents and consumers. Based on the discussion that took place, more members viewed the terms as sexist than racist, although some did view them as racist," the group said. The association said it hasn't completely banned the term "master" and members will still be allowed to use it in marketing materials. CNN notes that "master" is also being discontinued in other fields. The Court of Master Sommeliers says it will stop referring to wine stewards as "Master," followed by the last name, but will use the full title "master sommelier." (More real estate stories.)