Occasionally, a submissive will mistakenly address me as "ma'am." I immediately let them know my dislike for this title. It strikes me as such a non-sexy word. When I hear it, things like the color beige and dusty antiques come to mind. It makes me think of a hard, matronly woman without a seductive bone in her body.
A word I do like is "sir." The Sci Fi series Battlestar Galactica -- the only thing I watch regularly on TV -- introduced the mercilessly authoritarian Admiral Helena Cain in the final episode of this season. Though her character is obviously too much of a fascist to be endearing, to hear the male Commander Adama address her as "sir" gives me quite a thrill. (I also like how the crisp, unisex uniforms -- form-fitting but not clingy -- allow Cain's power to both transcend and magnify gender.) And I believe the modern Star Trek series have also made the use of "sir" a neutral term. Most excellent!
Yes Mistress Xia Sir! Oh that has a nice ring to it, especially for some intense military-themed, protocol/discipline action...
