{"id":18324,"date":"2023-02-13T13:32:18","date_gmt":"2023-02-13T21:32:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=18324"},"modified":"2026-04-03T19:50:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T02:50:09","slug":"buyer-master-bedroom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-master-bedroom\/","title":{"rendered":"Unpacking the \u2018Master Bedroom\u2019: The History of the Term and How It\u2019s Changed"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the biggest stories of the 2020s has been renewed attention on how the racial injustices of the past have ongoing effects in the present, in areas from fair housing to the language we use<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Things that were once considered wholesome are being viewed through more nuanced lenses and could possibly be deemed exploitative in retrospect. One example: Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben have retired from store shelves and now reside in the same place where the public consciousness sent other emblems of subtle and not-so-subtle racism<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Today’s new awareness, rekindled in 2020, extends to all the margins and all the people who occupy them.<\/p>\n

While this high-voltage spotlight of awareness exemplifies justice in the minds of some, others feel on edge. Some fear that this hyper-vigilant examination of our thoughts, actions, and words is just coddling a national oversensitivity, and others think these conversations don\u2019t go far enough.<\/p>\n

Well, we\u2019ve got the spotlight warmed up, so we thought we\u2019d take a close look at a possibly problematic term hiding in plain sight: \u201cmaster bedroom<\/a>.\u201d Should it go the way of Uncle Ben, or is the conversation around the term a massive overreaction?<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look at the history behind the term \u201cmaster bedroom<\/span><\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n \"homelight\n <\/div>\n \n

Upgrading Your Home? First, See How Much It's Worth<\/h3>\n

It’s helpful to have an idea of how much your home is worth before embarking on a project. Enter your address and answer a few questions about your home, and we’ll provide a preliminary estimate in under two minutes.<\/p>\n \n

\n Get Estimate<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/span><\/p>\n

Ma\u00b7str beh\u00b7droom<\/h2>\n

The word \u201cmaster<\/a>\u201d carries a hefty load of baggage. In addition to conjuring a mental association with slavery, it is also term that inexorably describes a male<\/i> person in power. (Swap out \u201cmistress<\/a> bedroom \u201d or \u201cmadam<\/a> bedroom\u201d for \u201cmaster bedroom,\u201d and we\u2019re probably not talking about real estate anymore.)<\/p>\n

A fully loaded term in every sense of the word, \u201cmaster\u201d is a three-for-one: it\u2019s a noun, a verb, and an adjective. With its Latin roots (\u201cmagister,\u201d meaning \u201cteacher\u201d) and frequent usage, this word has a deep history in our lexicon.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s unlikely that the editors of the 1926 Sears catalogue had any of this in mind when they introduced the term to sell a kit house<\/a>. And to Sears\u2019 credit, without all the baggage, \u201cmaster\u201d is a pretty good adjective to describe the biggest and best bedroom in the house… but why \u201cmaster\u201d instead of \u201cgrand,\u201d \u201cprimary,\u201d or \u201cowner\u2019s\u201d?<\/p>\n

The terms we use to describe our world have to grow as our world changes. Although it\u2019s hard to imagine, for much of our history, average American families have lived in one- or two-bedroom homes. The relative newness of extra money for extra rooms for sleeping gave rise to a term in keeping with the times: \u201cmaster\u201d was a three-for-one word that people were applying to all kinds of linguistic needs.<\/p>\n

So it\u2019s not so surprising that the masterminds at Sears came up with the master plan: As masters of their craft, they mastered the art of capturing the imagination of the American homebuyer. With no reverence to the history of slavery or the inherent male\/female power disparity, \u201cmaster bedroom\u201d was on the map.<\/p>\n

But you can\u2019t go anywhere on a map without some baggage, and this term is packed to bursting at the seams.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Source: (Bruce Clark \/ Pexels)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What\u2019s happening now?<\/h2>\n

We talked to two highly experienced (and successful) agents to get a close-up view of how this conversation is (or isn\u2019t) happening in their professional circles. Laurel Davies<\/a> and Mario Greco<\/a>, who represent Sacramento<\/a> and Chicago<\/a>, respectively.<\/p>\n

Their take? Words matter: Lose the term.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, words and ways of talking change all the time (not many people are using the work “thou” in everyday speech, for example). Though they both have doubts about the overall efficacy of changing a single term, they believe the history of discrimination and inequity in real estate must be addressed by the industry. But are they a minority?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to say. A 2013 article in the Washington Business Journal<\/i> showed a trend among builders who replaced the term with \u201cowner\u2019s suite.\u201d But between 2013 and 2020, the conversation mostly died down to a murmur.<\/p>\n

Currently, there is no consensus in the real estate industry at large, but there are some who champion the change.<\/p>\n

The Houston Association of Realtors (HAR) replaced “master” with \u201cprimary<\/a>” in the listing descriptions. In practical terms, this means that area MLS listings will reflect the change, but no measures have been put in place to restrict (or reprimand) the use of the term by agents.<\/p>\n

On the flip side, the National Association of Realtors (NAR<\/a>) has defended use of the term<\/a>. In a statement to the press, NAR President Vince Malta<\/a> states, “NAR sees no reason that real estate professionals cannot use the term, as there is also no evidence that it has any historical connection to slavery or any other kind of discrimination.\u201d<\/p>\n

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD<\/a>) has not made moves to eradicate the term, believing it does not run afoul of any protections of the Fair Housing Act<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Greco, who has stopped using \u201cmaster bedroom\u201d of his own volition, says it was an easy choice.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no reason to not call it something else. It\u2019s not going to confuse anybody \u2014 \u2018primary bedroom,\u2019 everybody knows what we\u2019re talking about. I think it\u2019s easy. It shows compassion for your fellow human, and there is no reason not to.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Sports, tech, government, agriculture<\/h2>\n

Outside of real estate, change is more forthcoming. As mentioned, Mars<\/a> retired Uncle Ben, PepsiCo<\/a> replaced Aunt Jemima, and Conagra<\/a> dismissed Mrs. Butterworth’s.<\/p>\n

In 2018, Python<\/a>, one of the most important computer programming languages in the world, made a system-wide substitution of the terms \u201cmaster\u201d and \u201cslave,\u201d common programming terms describing database hierarchy. GitHub<\/a>, owned by Microsoft<\/a>, dropped \u201cmaster\u201d in 2020. And city and state governments have recalculated the dignity of historical symbols and monuments \u2014 flags have been redesigned<\/a> and statues have been removed<\/a>. The NFL team in Washington, D.C., is now the Commanders<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The term \u201cmaster bedroom\u201d is far from the biggest racism issue plaguing real estate. Redlining<\/a>, steering<\/a>, and other blatantly discriminatory practices have shaped segregated neighborhoods and upheld systemic racism. Musician John Legend famously called changing the term a \u201cfake problem\u201d in a 2020 tweet<\/a>, noting that the real problem is that agents \u201cdon\u2019t show Black people all the properties they qualify for.\u201d (This practice is known as steering.)<\/p>\n

Will increased accountability to language lead to further industry accountability for the real estate history of redlining<\/a> and other forms of discrimination against Black, Indigenous, and people of color? Again, only time will tell. While clarity on the past and future of this term is lacking, there is something to be said for the conversation it started.<\/p>\n

\"Two<\/a>
Source: (Helena Lopes \/ Pexels)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The conversation<\/h2>\n

One of the points made by those who believe that asking for this change is \u201ctaking things too far\u201d is that masters and slaves never lived in the same house, so the term is obviously not directly linked to our history of slavery<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And that is<\/i> true. Slaves, generally, did not live in the homes in which they worked. But that also isn\u2019t necessarily a great reason to maintain the status quo \u2014\u00a0 it could be a good argument for or<\/i> against dropping the term \u201cmaster bedroom.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Davies, who supports changing the term, comes across people in the \u201ctaking things too far\u201d camp, she uses the opportunity to open up a conversation. She says, \u201cI don’t totally disagree with them, and conversation over conversion of the terms we use will have a far more lasting impact.\u201d<\/p>\n

With this in mind, maybe the spotlight is the wrong type of illumination to use to explore this topic. Instead of a tight beam focused on two words, maybe we need something more like a lantern, casting soft light in all directions and better suited for extended conversations than harsh scrutiny.<\/p>\n

Davies says: \u201cYou can change all the words in the English language, but until what is in the hearts of people changes, it won’t matter. Education, honest conversations, and a commitment to eradicate racism and the financial inequality that comes with it will.\u201d<\/p>\n

It is clear that for those who support dropping the term, this issue is more symbolic than pragmatic. But how can we be expected to navigate a symbolic linguistic landscape when 2020 has offered unrelenting other<\/i> stuff to deal with?<\/p>\n

The answer is: We\u2019ve always navigated that landscape.<\/p>\n

Language is dynamic<\/h2>\n

Even armchair scholars of linguistics<\/a> are familiar with the Sapir-Whorf theory<\/a>, which says that the words we use affect the way we think and behave (and not just the other way around). Sapir and Whorf were scholars working in the 1940s and \u201950s, but the theory is thoroughly vetted, and explorations of the topic continue today.<\/p>\n

In 2005, University of Chicago economist Steven Levitt and New York Times<\/i> journalist Stephen J. Dubner published a widely-acclaimed book, Freakanomics<\/i><\/a>; it explores the empirically mappable relationship between the subtle forces of suggestion and their effect on our thoughts, words, and actions (the book was spun off into a weekly podcast<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Like Sapir and Whorf, their conclusion, drawn from numerous, measurable trends, is that the words we use shape the world in which we live in subtle but enormous ways.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n \"homelight\n <\/div>\n \n

Buying a House This Year? <\/h3>\n

If you are thinking of buying a house this year, you might be concerned about high mortgage rates, high prices, and inventory shortages. Working with an expert buyer’s agent will help you navigate this unusual market and win your dream home. HomeLight analyzes millions of transactions to find you the perfect agent for your needs. Connect with a top agent today to get started.<\/p>\n \n

\n Get Started <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019re swimming in it!<\/h3>\n

Language is powerful, even when that power is furtive. Bold expressions of flippant disregard for human life, like the casual use of the phrase \u201csold down the river,\u201d are easy to single out as problematic. But it\u2019s possible that until you were reminded, the fact that the term \u201cmaster\u201d is technically just as masculine as the word \u201cuncle\u201d had never occurred to you.<\/p>\n

Most of us are as unaware of the impact of our words as a fish is unaware of the water in which it swims.<\/p>\n

We live in the exchange of our words shaping our environment, and the environment shaping our words. The term \u201cmaster bedroom\u201d is best understood with this exchange in mind, and it helps to carry both a good lantern and a strong spotlight to shed more light on this small piece of language.<\/p>\n

Header Image Source: (Terry Magallanes \/ Pexels)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What\u2019s the deal with the controversy around the term \u201cmaster bedroom\u201d? We explore the history, use, and arguments around the phrase.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":164,"featured_media":18326,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[192,638,641],"tags":[718],"class_list":["post-18324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-for-buyers","category-house-hunting","category-find-home","tag-racial-justice"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nUnpacking the \u2018Master Bedroom\u2019: The History and Evolution of the Term<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What\u2019s the deal with the controversy around the term \u201cmaster bedroom\u201d? We explore the history, use, and arguments around the phrase.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-master-bedroom\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Unpacking the \u2018Master Bedroom\u2019: The History of the Term and How It\u2019s Changed\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What\u2019s the deal with the controversy around the term \u201cmaster bedroom\u201d? We explore the history, use, and arguments around the phrase.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-master-bedroom\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"HomeLight Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-02-13T21:32:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-04T02:50:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/master-bedroom-head.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Alison Hunter\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@gohomelight\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gohomelight\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Alison Hunter\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Unpacking the \u2018Master Bedroom\u2019: The History and Evolution of the Term","description":"What\u2019s the deal with the controversy around the term \u201cmaster bedroom\u201d? We explore the history, use, and arguments around the phrase.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-master-bedroom\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Unpacking the \u2018Master Bedroom\u2019: The History of the Term and How It\u2019s Changed","og_description":"What\u2019s the deal with the controversy around the term \u201cmaster bedroom\u201d? We explore the history, use, and arguments around the phrase.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-master-bedroom\/","og_site_name":"HomeLight Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/","article_published_time":"2023-02-13T21:32:18+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-04T02:50:09+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1500,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/master-bedroom-head.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Alison Hunter","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@gohomelight","twitter_site":"@gohomelight","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Alison Hunter","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":["Article","BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-master-bedroom\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-master-bedroom\/"},"author":{"name":"Alison Hunter","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4e57bb031ef4816bb3911a0e6b90aef6"},"headline":"Unpacking the \u2018Master Bedroom\u2019: The History of the Term and How It\u2019s Changed","datePublished":"2023-02-13T21:32:18+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-04T02:50:09+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-master-bedroom\/"},"wordCount":1711,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-master-bedroom\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/master-bedroom-head.png","keywords":["racial justice"],"articleSection":["Buyers","House Hunting","What's Out There?"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-master-bedroom\/","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-master-bedroom\/","name":"Unpacking the \u2018Master Bedroom\u2019: The History and Evolution of the Term","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-master-bedroom\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-master-bedroom\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/master-bedroom-head.png","datePublished":"2023-02-13T21:32:18+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-04T02:50:09+00:00","description":"What\u2019s the deal with the controversy around the term \u201cmaster bedroom\u201d? We explore the history, use, and arguments around the phrase.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-master-bedroom\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-master-bedroom\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-master-bedroom\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/master-bedroom-head.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/master-bedroom-head.png","width":1500,"height":800,"caption":"Source: (Terry Magallanes \/ Pexels)"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-master-bedroom\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Unpacking the \u2018Master Bedroom\u2019: The History of the Term and How It\u2019s Changed"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/","name":"HomeLight Blog","description":"Real Estate Advice from America's Top Agents","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"HomeLight","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/logo-hr-color.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/logo-hr-color.png","width":1348,"height":262,"caption":"HomeLight"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/","https:\/\/x.com\/gohomelight","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/homelight\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCimugR9XF17-OZ7B9fNnxWw","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/HomeLight"],"description":"Everything you need to know to sell your house faster and for more money. Articles, guides, and advice from top agents all over the U.S.","email":"support@homelight.com","telephone":"(888) 688-0350","legalName":"HomeLight","foundingDate":"2012-01-01","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","minValue":"201","maxValue":"500"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4e57bb031ef4816bb3911a0e6b90aef6","name":"Alison Hunter","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/975860ebe87f095f9f11f5631d00be1d431d96c1769f294a7f688f3771190a68?s=96&d=blank&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/975860ebe87f095f9f11f5631d00be1d431d96c1769f294a7f688f3771190a68?s=96&d=blank&r=g","caption":"Alison Hunter"},"description":"In addition to real estate, Bay Area native and quasi-techy Alison Hunter also writes about the intersection of art, culture, and technology.","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/author\/alison-hunter\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18324","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/164"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18324"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18324\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}