Dr. Mrs.

Here, in Sri Lanka, marital status is all important. Small talk greetings, like: hello, how are you, where are you going, are invariably followed by the more nosy inquiry, Oyage bandala innawadh? (Are you married?).
This marital status is (of course) not so important for men as it is for women and it is reminiscent of our old Western standards of Miss and Mrs. For women, but only Mr. For men. In Canada, we largely use Ms. now to eliminate the vagaries of a woman's marital status thus ensuring that marital status cannot be used in a discriminatory way.

Here, marital status is so important. We have been dismayed that even empowered female physicians hang out their shingles with names listing their marital status, for instance: Dr. Mrs. Jayanthe Singhe. These Victorian era handles hang from medical shingles all about the country and Bill and I have both scoffed at this unnecessary distinction of women. What does marital status have to do with the practice of medicine? Bill has been teasing me that I need to list my name that way, now that we are living in this culture. Dr. Mrs. Wendy Blair? Not a chance.

Never say never. VSO continues to apply for a visa to relocate me to Jaffna, as that is where my skill set is more desperately needed. So, the other day we had to sign some government visa re-application documents. Low and behold, my name was inked into the forms, with my all important marital status clearly delineated: Dr. Mrs. Wendy Nordick.

I guess I can be grateful for it not reading, Dr. Mrs. Wendy Blair.