When did "Secretary" become a dirty word?

[Jzero]

My mom is a secretary. Actually, her title is "clerk" which is different from secretary on the NJEA union payscale, but she calls herself a secretary nonetheless.
I noticed this year that "Secretary's Day" as suddenly turned into "Administrative Professionals' Day."

What gives? What is wrong with the word "Secretary" that people felt the need to create a euphemism for it?

Any theories?

Should Colin Powell be referred to as the "Administrative Assistant of State" ?

 

[Booster]

I think it's the advance in the level of education of an average office employee. Back in the days secretaries were just that - and now whenever they hire a secretary...

 

[Brutuskend]

Everyone these days wants their job title to sound better than their actual job IS.

Sanitation engineer....etc

 

[CubicZirconia]

"Administrative Professionals' Day." sounds fancier than "Secretary's Day."

 

[chiwawa626]

Its just that in old movies and stuff people have hot secretarys so its implied that bosses might have relations with their secretarys

 

[Zenmervolt]

It's just one more manifestation of the current P.C. craze. A bunch of thin-skinned people who decided that their egos were tied to their job title wanted to make their jobs sound better so they invented a lot of ex-post-facto crap about how "Secretary" was a demeaning title.

ZV

 

[freebee]

Originally posted by: chiwawa626
Its just that in old movies and stuff people have hot secretarys so its implied that bosses might have relations with their secretarys

Still true in many places today. If I was the boss (which I happen to be), i'd hire someone i could be in a casual relationship with. Though, as indicated before, I wasn't able to keep the feelings at a casual level, and much trouble was caused.

 

[Codewiz]

I know some places they will kill you if you call them a secretary. They are an Administrative Assistant. I made the mistake once and I will never do it again. I don't know what the big deal is.

 

[XZeroII]

It's just idiots who want to puff up their titles. It's like fat people wanting to be called obese. What's the difference? It means the exact same thing! Exactly the same thing! Fat = Obese! Secretary = Administrative Assistant! '=' means equals as in they can be used interchangably. x=y, y = z, so x = z. Those people should just get over it and learn to live with it.

 

[Statistic]

It's just one more manifestation of the current P.C. craze. A bunch of thin-skinned people who decided that their egos were tied to their job title wanted to make their jobs sound better so they invented a lot of ex-post-facto crap about how "Secretary" was a demeaning title.

You said it.

 

[GroundZero]

Originally posted by: Jzero
My mom is a secretary. Actually, her title is "clerk" which is different from secretary on the NJEA union payscale, but she calls herself a secretary nonetheless.
I noticed this year that "Secretary's Day" as suddenly turned into "Administrative Professionals' Day."

What gives? What is wrong with the word "Secretary" that people felt the need to create a euphemism for it?

Any theories?

Should Colin Powell be referred to as the "Administrative Assistant of State" ?

it is for the male secretaries out there...
just like there are no more stewardess'
it is all the PC NAZI's fault!

 

[Ronstang]

I am making a mental note to myself.......always refer to an administrative assisstant as a secretary. If they want a better title they need to go to school and get a useful degree and earn the title, until then I will refer to them as what they are....a secretary. BTW, in my opinion I still have the garbage men come twice a week.

 

[Geekbabe]

That's easy... because a LOT of men took jobs that were formerly pretty much only held by women.Admin assitant is also in many cases a much more accurate job description,I know many offices that would come to a grinding halt without them.

 

[BatmanNate]

Professional Solitaire Practician is more like it.

 

[jemcam]

My company calls them "Support Staff".

 

[cherrytwist]

It's just one more manifestation of the current P.C. craze. A bunch of thin-skinned people who decided that their egos were tied to their job title wanted to make their jobs sound better so they invented a lot of ex-post-facto crap about how "Secretary" was a demeaning title.

I cannot wait until this PC bs is over and done with.

*waiting for the PC backlash to commence*

 

[4Lclovergirl]

What's wrong with calling them administrative professionals? I think it sounds more dignified. BTW, on my way back from classes there were signs at the florist for secretar's day flowers, so not everyone hsa changed it.

I guess it depends on the person, if they want to be called secretary, call them that, if not, then don't. Does it really matter your title as long as they pay you the same and treat you the same?

 

[GroundZero]

reclassify them as "phone whores",
wait that one is already taken by the telemarketers!

 

[Scarpozzi]

Sexretary?

 

[dave127]

nono...its just sexetary....the word flows much smoother

 

[GermyBoy]

<FONT face=Verdana size=1>When did "Secretary" become a dirty word?</FONT>

When boss' started using them for just typing. Think...dicktation. LOL