As Gazeta.Ru reports, local feminists pushed for this amendment, claiming they had to blush while correcting men who misjudged their marital status. Women said they feel offended when called ‘madame’ when unmarried, or conversely ‘mademoiselle’ when married. But the strongest indignation came from unmarried feminists whose status men correctly guessed. They felt that the address ‘mademoiselle’ sarcastically highlighted their loneliness.
In addition, feminists fought to replace the term ‘maiden name’, which they associated with loss of virginity, with the term ‘birth name’, and to change the phrase ‘married name’, which incorrectly reflects the status of widows who have kept their husband's surname, to ‘used surname’.
The French government decided not to argue with the women and ruled against using the word ‘mademoiselle’ in official documents only. French gentlemen, as before, have every right to address girls as they wish.
According to the government order, previously printed forms with the ‘banned’ words may be used until supplies run out.