Talk:Elisabeth Moss

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Name[edit]

I'm not sure why her last name is being changed but it requires a WP:RS. MarnetteD|Talk 20:22, 7 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Actor?[edit]

Hello, so I read the note arguing that Moss refers to herself as an actor, what is the source? Because considering her feminist positions, I find that surprising. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ulysse Verjus-Tonnelé (talk • contribs) 21:11, 9 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Based on a quick Google search, it appears you can look up almost any interview with her: [1] [2]. – wallyfromdilbert (talk) 21:52, 9 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you, I've added these links as sources. Regards. Ulysse Verjus-Tonnelé (talk) 10:42, 10 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Both those sources identify her as an actress. The first one literally has right at the start "Occupation: Actress". The terminology used by the sources is more important than the terminology used by the subject. See MOS:ID: "When there is a discrepancy between the term most commonly used by reliable sources for a person or group and the term that person or group uses for themselves, use the term that is most commonly used by recent reliable sources." She doesn't say in either of those sources that she prefers "actor" to "actress". Both terms are accurate, one is more specific. There's no need to make a point of not using "actress". Any interpretation of her use of "actor" in those interviews as meaning she identifies as an actor rather than an actress is WP:OR. See WP:PRIMARY: "Any interpretation of primary source material requires a reliable secondary source for that interpretation." MClay1 (talk) 07:38, 24 June 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Just for the record, my first edit summary where I wrote "These sources do support the idea..." should be "don't support". MClay1 (talk) 03:39, 4 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

I'm really struggling with this. I just castigated an IP editor (90.254.190.141) for changing actor to actress, based on the hidden-text note, but then chased it up with Google and I can't find any serious evidence that she objects to being called an actress. Yes, actor is a gender-neutral term, but that's a double-edged sword: the fact she has referred to herself as an actor in an interview does not necessarily mean she objects to being called an actress. If no one can come up with a reference that specifically says she doesn't want to be called an actress, can we get rid of that note? Elemimele (talk) 20:29, 2 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]

It has nothing to do with objections. She refers to herself as an actor in the DVD commentary for Mad Men. She is also referred to as an actor on the Comcast menu listing performers in a series and by various newspapers noting her birthday. The term is clearly gender neutral and specific to human beings. MarnetteD|Talk 21:22, 2 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]

I am not aware of any sources where she refers to herself as an "actress", while there are numerous interviews where she calls herself an "actor" (in addition to the 2 above, here are a few more from the top of the Google results: [3] [4] [5]). Reliable sources refer to her as both and do not appear to prefer one over the other, and even sources like her Emmys bio uses "actor" [6]. In that situation, I'm not sure why we wouldn't go with the preference of the article subject. Can anyone find a single article where she calls herself an "actress"? – wallyfromdilbert (talk) 08:47, 3 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]

But is it her preference? I see copious reputable sources that call her an actress after interviewing her; if she felt strongly about it, she'd probably have asked them to call her an actor. I don't see any sources in which she says "please don't call me an actress". Just because someone uses a particular term themselves, it doesn't mean they disapprove of all other terms, or feel strongly about which term is right. Regarding the sources above, in two of them, Moss is comparing herself to other actors, and naturally uses the generic, genderless term; the Emmy one lists her as an American actor but then awards her best actress awards, so it's a bit cherry-picky to choose one term over the other. Unless she really has expressed this preference, it feels a little as though we're forcing a point of view that is an editor's, rather than hers. Elemimele (talk) 12:27, 3 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]