Why You Should Stop Using the Phrase “master Bedroom”
Fans of TV shows that focus on finding a home, flipping, spanking, or renovating a home may have noticed a new term that appeared in later episodes: “master bedroom.” It is also slowly becoming the norm in property descriptions, and even if the term sounds unfamiliar to you at first, contextual clues will tell you that “master bedroom” can – and, we argue, should – be used instead of “master bedroom”. That’s why it’s time to switch.
What is a master bedroom?
Simply put, the master bedroom (formerly known as the “master bedroom”) is the largest bedroom in the home and often has its own adjoining bathroom. This is sometimes referred to as an “owner’s apartment” or “owner’s hideout” on property listings.
The use of the term “bedroom” has been a topic of discussion in the real estate and architectural circles for many years . In June 2020, the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR) became the first industry group to stop using the term and has since been followed by others located in places such as Toronto , Cincinnati and northern Kentucky .
But there is no industry-wide consensus yet. The National Association of Realtors cited a 1995 memorandum from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, which explains that the “master bedroom” is not discriminatory and does not violate fair housing laws, according to the New York Times .
What’s problematic about the term “master bedroom”?
With regard to the objection to the term master bedroom, the most frequently cited association of the word master with slavery. For example, in August 2020, Tanna Young, a Houston-based real estate agent, told the New York Times that for her, the word “landlord” conjures up images of plantation life before the Civil War. “As an African American realtor, I’ve always thought about this,” she said.
Another criticism stems from the fact that, in real estate terms, traditionally the word “landlord” refers to the male head of the household who has authority over the rest of the household, including household staff, his children, and his wife. In fact, when HAR announced that they were dropping the term “master bedroom” in June 2020, their statement indicated that most of their members viewed it as sexist than racist, Marketwatch reports , noting that others also viewed it as racist. …
In addition to real estate, television and other media are another major industry that is starting to move into the market. For example, you won’t hear the term “master bedroom” in new episodes of HGTV, House Beautiful recently reported (which also dropped the term) in the following statement:
“HGTV understands that language matters and we have made a conscious decision to use more inclusive terms in our content. TV series, including popular ones like Fixer to Fabulous , Flip or Flop, and Good Bones, now use terms like “master” and “master” when referring to the largest bedroom and bathroom in the house. ”
The origin of the term “master bedroom”
So how long has the term master bedroom been around? Although its specific origin is unclear, according to Merriam-Webster , its first known use was in 1925 (although it is not said where it was used). Its current earliest recorded use was in the 1926 Modern Homes catalog from Sears, Roebuck and Co. When they sold kits with all the materials needed to build a particular house, which, like the rest of their products, was selected from their catalog.
Given the time frame, this does not seem like a direct reference to slavery, but rather a marketing technique designed to appeal to the “master of the house” (who was supposed to be in charge of the family’s major financial decisions).
Aside from lumber, nails, and whatever else you need to build a home, Sears has been selling the American Dream of Home Ownership and making it more affordable than ever. The term master bedroom may have been used to reinforce the idea that owning your own home will enhance your status in society.
Is it really important?
As you might expect, the name change has triggered all the usual reactions that follow some kind of shift in language from something racist, eiblist, or misogynistic to something more inclusive.
But the criticism goes beyond standard comments (“Undo culture is out of control!” Or “PC police are for that again!”) To those rooted in frustration over how much more work needs to be done to make living conditions more fair.
One such comment came from musician John Legend in a tweet in June 2020 . In it, he says the “real problem” is that “realtors don’t show black people all the property they claim,” and the “fake problem” uses the term “master bedroom,” ending with realtors calling for “Fix the real problem. “
The legend, as well as others who have voiced similar thoughts, is not wrong: there are huge systemic problems when it comes to accessing housing in the United States, and changing the name of a room in a house on real estate listings is not an offense. going to make them disappear (or even improve). The mention of “master bedroom” on HGTV will do nothing to eliminate or reverse the long-term effects of the redline and segregation .
But for many people, like Young, the Houston-based real estate agent we heard about earlier, the words we use every day matter. “There is more work to be done, we understand that, but I am glad that steps are being taken in this direction to start change, ” she told the New York Times in 2020 . “Baby steps can lead to big steps.”