A fact from Jordan Gray appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 3 November 2022 (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:
Did you know... that Jordan Gray added the technical name for spider silk to her name due to the UK not having a process to change honorific from Mr to Miss?
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The following is an archived discussion of the DYK nomination of the article below. Please do not modify this page. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as this nomination's talk page, the article's talk page or Wikipedia talk:Did you know), unless there is consensus to re-open the discussion at this page. No further edits should be made to this page.
Overall: Interesting stuff. Everything is in order, though is 'Gossamer' actually the scientific term for spider silk as they claimed? EchetusXe15:06, 30 October 2022 (UTC)[reply]
To answer EchetusXe's question: As far as I can see, spider silk doesn’t have a 'scientific name' (as the nomination puts it); according to the OED gossamer has been the common name for the stuff since the 14th century, while the first use of spider silk was much later. I’m guessing spider silk is the preferred term now because gossamer has acquired a bunch of other meanings, so spider silk is more specific. But neither of them are particularly scientific (or technical). Swanny18 (talk) 23:53, 3 November 2022 (UTC)[reply]
PS: As for the rest of this, I have to say I don’t understand this at all. It states that Gray adopted the name Gossamer due to the UK not having a process to just change honorific from Mr to Miss. Why is that an explanation? Is Gossamer being used as an honorific? How does it signify a change from Mr to Miss? AFAIK there isn’t a process for changing an honorific because one isn’t necessary; there isn’t one on a birth certificate, or on any official document (we don’t use identity cards in the UK, and they aren’t included on passports or driving licences, which tend to get used for ID purposes) so a person can use whatever honorific they like. OTOH these documents do stipulate gender, but there is a process to change that (see here); it doesn’t involve adding a new middle name. Would someone care to clarify? Swanny18 (talk) 23:55, 3 November 2022 (UTC)[reply]
PPS: Also, the article states she had considered changing it to Olivia before realising that Jordan was gender neutral and deciding it was not worth wasting her money: What money? I note Gray is a comedian; is this some kind of elaborate joke? Swanny18 (talk) 23:57, 3 November 2022 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you Swanny18. Perhaps the word in the hook should be changed from 'scientific' to 'alternative'? As for the rest of your points then I really don't know. It seemed logical and correct when I read it, aside from the minor point of if gossamer is scientific or just a different word. But with your research there on the honorific titles then I don't really understand what Jordan Gray did or why they did it.--EchetusXe10:38, 4 November 2022 (UTC)[reply]
Interesting stuff. Everything is in order, though is 'Gossamer' actually the scientific term for spider silk as they claimed? EchetusXe 15:06, 30 October 2022 (UTC)
Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. Jamedeus (talk) 01:30, 13 May 2024 (UTC)