Do you still use the term "Master Bedroom" ?

[Deberg_1990]

Homebuilders scrap 'master bedroom' because of racist, gender-biased connotations


http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore...t.html?ana=twt


The “master suite” is being phased out — not from our homes, but from our lexicon.

A survey of 10 major Washington, D.C.-area homebuilders found that six no longer use the term “master” in their floor plans to describe the largest bedroom in the house. They have replaced it with “owner’s suite” or “owner’s bedroom” or, in one case, “mastre bedroom.”

Why? In large part for exactly the reason you would think: “Master” has connotation problems, in gender (it skews toward male) and race (the slave-master).

Enter the owner's suite.

“I imagine it’s not only a more accurate description but also a more politically correct term of art,” said Steve Nardella, senior vice president of operations for Bethesda-based Winchester Homes Inc.

Either way, the “master suite” has been linguistically shoved aside.

Winchester, Pulte Homes, NV Homes and Ryan Homes (both under the NVR Inc. umbrella), Van Metre Cos. and D.R. Horton Inc. have all replaced “master” in their floor plans, some more recently than others.

Richmond American Homes, Shulz Homes Corp. Sekas Homes Ltd. (in some of its models) and Quaker Custom Homes LLC continue to employ the word “master” in their designs.

In general, said Grant Johnson of Sekas Homes, “we’re using owner suite, but sometimes it will come through as master.”

Over time, “master” will be filtered out entirely, he said. The change is “just working through the industry, and finally, bingo, we got it.”

Randy Creaser, owner of D.C.’s Creaser/O’Brien Architects PC, said he ditched “master” in the early 1990s in his home designs. He vaguely recalled a few lawsuits brought against builders over the phrase. Pulte spokeswoman Valerie Dolenga said Pulte made the shift maybe three or four years ago.

Word of the change is now reaching the resale market, where “owner’s bedroom” is most commonly used in higher-end listings, said Brian Block, managing broker for McLean, Va.-based RE/Max Allegiance.

“The terminology has more of an upscale tone to it, particularly in some of the really large homes that truly have a large bedroom, sitting area, enormous walk-in closets, and lavish bathrooms,” Block wrote in an email. “Owner Suite conveys a sense of being distinguished, having ‘made it’ or ‘arrived’ rather than the everyday ‘Master Bedroom.’”

Lorraine Arora, vice president and managing broker of two Long & Foster Real Estate Inc. in Springfield, Va., and Kingstowne, Va., said older brokers tend to use “master,” because that is what they’ve always used, while the younger agents “want to be more politically correct.” Her office, she said in an email, is split between the two terms

[houstonwhodat]

Guess they need to scrap the Master's Golf Tournament.

[InChiefsHeaven]

Reads like an article from The Onion...

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by houstonwhodat

Guess they need to scrap the Master's Golf Tournament.

You'll have to go to school for your Owner's Degree

[KCBOSS1]

Well, I'm an appraiser and I still use it in my sketches in the reports.... but after reading a few of the posts, I expect to get a memo from Fed Gov anytime now.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

I guess I could see some sense in it if that were the actual origin of the term, but according to Merriam Webster it was first used in 1925, which was long after slavery was abolished. I never even thought of it in those terms anyway, I saw the use of "master" as meaning "main" or "primary".

So yeah, anyone who wouldn't buy a house because of that term being used would be a hypersensitive pussy. For example, I could see Simplicity doing something like that someday.

I wonder if we will have to stop using the terms Slave and Master in computer terminology as well?

[crossbow]

There is a digital logic ckt. that is called "Master/Slave" unit. Are the PC Nazis getting nerveous over that language? When are these extremists going to do the world a favor and die?

[Bump]

On a related note. NFL Blackouts will now be referred to as African American Outs

[EagleRob]

Originally Posted by CrazyPhuD

Is it PC to call it the Master Bate room instead?

This is the official name for the Water Closet in the Owner's Suite Bath.

[Setsuna]

Originally Posted by Bump

On a related note. NFL Blackouts will now be referred to as African American Outs

[InChiefsHeaven]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

I wonder if we will have to stop using the terms Slave and Master in computer terminology as well?

I actually read an article years ago addressing this very thing. Thought it was stupid then...but it would not shock me at all if it came to pass.

[007]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

I wonder if we will have to stop using the terms Slave and Master in computer terminology as well?

ding ding ding

[blaise]

Originally Posted by jAZ

If they think it will help them sell more houses, should they refuse to make the change just so that you can be happy about it?

Why should you have any opinion about this in any way, other than "that's your business decision? You think it works for you? Go for it."

Seriously. I think the "political correctness" crowd can mark this down as their "jumped the shark" moment.

Now, not even a business acting in its own self interest, without any fanfare or outside pressure of any kind, can make a choice like this without getting some people pissed off.

So much for even the barely coherent "give me my 1st amendment freedoms!!!" non-sense.

They can call it what they want, but let's not pretend it isn't pretty stupid that people got upset over the phrase Master Bedroom to begin with, which is probably what prompted the change.