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Tomus42, we don't use agentress because it doesn't exist in the English language. Doctress or doctoress, why not? Perhaps I'm too late on that one. I've never heard either word used. In Italian they have 'dottoressa' and 'professoressa', but I don't want to get side-tracked. 'Actress' has been used for many years and they still have 'Best Actress' and 'Best Supporting Actress' awards at the Academy Awards. I know it's a question with no answer, but I just wonder when did it start and why did it start. When somebody first referred to a woman as an actor, why didn't somebody else say, "Don't you mean actress?" or "I didn't know she was a man."