Via The Local, a spot of language-washing in France:
A town in the north-west Brittany region has struck a blow for feminist campaigners by banishing the use of the title “mademoiselle”, or “miss”, from all official forms. The continued use of “mademoiselle” in France to refer to an unmarried woman has been the subject of heated debate in recent years. Regional newspaper Ouest France reported that the town of Cesson-Sévigné, which is a suburb of the city of Rennes, took the decision to get rid of the term from all official forms from January 1st 2012.
“This is about getting rid of anything that could be seen as discriminatory or indiscreet,” said a statement from the town hall.
“Having two different terms to distinguish between married and non-married women is discrimination against women as there is no such differentiation for men.”
The news follows a campaign launched in September to get rid of the “mademoiselle” term from all official forms across France.Feminist groups Osez le Féminisme and Les Chiennes de Garde wanted to see the term removed from everything from tax returns to rail pass applications…