A British Mx Tape

The UK is obsessed with honorifics. Remember, this is the land of Barons and Earls and Ladies and Sirs and the ultimate HRH, "Her Royal Highness." But even if you can't claim HRH, selecting "Mr." or "Mrs." or "Miss" is a standard part of filling out many forms and documents. Very often these titles are gendered. But what if you don't identify with either gender? Or what if you don't want to reveal your marital status? Some folks are trying to ensure that you don't have to be a doctor or a reverend to claim a gender neutral title.This week on the podcast we take a look at the campaign for the gender neutral honorific "Mx." in the UK. Where does the honorific come from? And how has language and gender has been debated in the UK since the days of Shakespeare. This is the first part of a three-part series exploring language and gender. For the series we have teamed up with the Across Woman's Lives project. Check out more in-depth stories about language and gender around the globe at www.pri.org/acrosswomenslives