Story perspectives

Ms. “Ms.” Honorific Went Mainstream After 1971 Debut

By Drooid · Oct 16, 2026, 2:24 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Sheila Michaels championed the honorific “Ms.”, boosting its public visibility in the 1960s.
Michaels noticed “Ms.” on a Marxist journal subscription in the early 1960s and began lobbying.
Michaels discussed “Ms.” on WBAI radio in the late 1960s, reaching many women listeners.
Ms. magazine debuted in 1971, popularizing the honorific for women.
The New York Times first used “Ms.” as an address in 1986, fifteen years after the magazine’s debut.

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Story summary

Sheila Michaels championed the honorific “Ms.”, boosting its public visibility in the 1960s.
Michaels noticed “Ms.” on a Marxist journal subscription in the early 1960s and began lobbying.
Michaels discussed “Ms.” on WBAI radio in the late 1960s, reaching many women listeners.
Ms. magazine debuted in 1971, popularizing the honorific for women.
The New York Times first used “Ms.” as an address in 1986, fifteen years after the magazine’s debut.