Can a PhD (Or a doctorate or an MD) choose to use a gendered title instead of Dr? For example, suppose an AFAB PhD comes out as a trans man. Is he allowed to use Mister to affirm his gender? Or is he stuck in the gender neutral Doctor zone forever? Does he have to get knighted by the British monarchy in order to get a masculine title?
As a PhD holder who has worked in healthcare, I really couldn’t use the title doctor because the chance for confusion with a medical practitioner is too high. That’s fine by me, I only use the title on rare occasions such as when speaking publicly in my area of experience. Please just call me Meyotch.
Meanwhile in certain countries people with an M.B.B.S. and no doctorate get to use the title of “doctor” as a matter of convention.
Funny how physicians have basically co-opted the title even when they technically do not possess the degree it refers to. And even funnier is that the word doctor means teacher in Latin so it would make much more sense that those with Ph.D.s, who are qualified to teach at the highest levels, should get to use the title over physicians most of whom do not teach anything at all unless they are medical school professors.
Meyotch is an interesting suffix to a person’s name.
“I am Professor Patrick”
“Professor?”
“Meyotch Professor Patrick!”
/s
I have a PhD, the only time I use my title is when booking tickets for trains or planes with German companies.
I’m a social scientist. Nobody hears the word “doctor” and thinks of a person like me.