"Ma'am" not typical in US English? © Copyright 2012 - 2018 Principality of Sealand. This means you will be able to access your Sir or Dame title immediately. The word Sir is a variation of Sire, an honorific term used throughout Europe alongside Seigneur, which was used to refer to a feudal lord. Dear Sir or Madam, is a formal way to begin a letter when you are unsure if the person you are writing is a man or a woman. Having had some experience with the U.S. Navy, I can assure you that calling a female superior officer "sir" would pretty quickly get you your a** handed to you. Women who are doctors, lawyers, professors, judges, officers, etc., should be addressed just like their male counterparts. Not all of them want to be called "womyn". Becoming a Sir or Dame comes with joining an elite class with the likes of Sir Bill Gates, Sir Paul McCartney and Dame Angelina Jolie.

The history of Sealand is a story of a struggle for liberty. Most women would be offended if you called them sir (with the possible exception of some supreme feminists). Or be able to use your new title to fill in forms, opposed to using the standard Mr and Mrs? or ma’am in the same manner as a polite civilian speaking with a Stack Exchange network consists of 177 Q&A communities including

I actually have met a woman who thought being called "ma'am" was derogatory and preferred being called sir.

Feminists are people who believe women and men have equal rights, yes?

You are generalizing feminists yourself. The answer will vary from organization to organization. "As a side note, I wish that my French and Spanish were better so that I could comment on how the users of those languages address each other.Sir is for men. A Knighthood or a Damehood is one of the highest honours an individual in the United Kingdom can achieve. And I am talking very small cases of people here, so just because you've never met one doesn't mean they don't exist. Like John M. Landsberg commented, "Ma'am" is what you want to use unless you're asking for trouble.Starting in Season 4, episode 1, on January 10, 2011, in the show "Castle", Penny Johnson Jerald, as the new captain, Victoria "Iron" Gates, insists upon the use of "sir".The first time I heard it used on TV was in 1992, Star Trek The Next Generation, the episode "The First Duty" when the trial president, a female, was addressed as "sir" by all others.In NCIS, did Jenny, as Director, tell her subordinate she was to be addressed as "sir or director" ? This sir/dame title is a very respected and highly sought after title throughout the united kingdom, and it would be an honour to bestow this sir title on those who deserve it. site design / logo © 2020 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under All rights reserved.The Government is not responsible for external links and Forum activity.​The optional extra of owning a piece of Sealand Territory to complete your Sealand Knighthood or Damehood will help to keep Sealand’s independence for many years to come. The honors system also turns some more working-class heroes into Sirs and Dames.

Up until 1958, all titles in the UK were hereditary peerages, conferred by the King or Queen of the day. Detailed answers to any questions you might have All of our royal titles including both Sir titles and Dame titles have no expiration date, making you part of Sealand for your entire lifetime. if you are looking for a knight-like gift, or a dive into more prestigious territory, then the Selandish sir title is the way forward.The Knights of the Sovereign Military Order of Sealand were originally created from a select group of people after the 1978 invasion to defend and protect the Principality of Sealand.

This sir/dame title is a very respected and highly sought after title throughout the united kingdom, and it would be an honour to bestow this sir title on those who deserve it. Secondly you're assuming that the women under discussion would want to achieve "equal" titles by adopting the male one.

The best answers are voted up and rise to the top “Sir” had the inference of being chauvinistic and because of that the term made me uncomfortable. Why don't you look into it and report back.1. Start here for a quick overview of the site

The title Dame as the female equivalent to a Knight wasn’t introduced until 1917 (although of course there were female Knights before this). (Also, why are you bothering a year-old post?

matter of who says sir or ma’am to whom is clearly defined; in

No.