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New York, 1:01 AM
Fri Nov 13
67 posts in the last 24 hours

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08/12/09
Interestingly, laws on this seem to vary. Apparently, in South Carolina, where my mom recently got remarried, the marriage license forms just automatically assume the woman will be legally changing her name unless she opts out of it explicitly. Here in Virginia, it's the opposite: marriage licenses don't have anything to do with changing your name legally, which is a separate process. I thought the Virginia one seemed a lot more progressive when I compared them.
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08/11/09
You know how many people are confused by this? None. It's very easy, come on.
And, obvs, no one should force you to change your name if you don't want to, dammit.
08/11/09
08/11/09
Let's say my dad was Pérez López. My mom was Muñoz Núñez. Then I'd be Pérez Muñoz, and my children would be XXX(husband's last name) Pérez. Does this make any sense?
08/11/09
08/11/09
Frankly, parents working together to raise kids and do everything that needs being done is more likely to encourage family unity. But hey, do what you wanna do. Just don't assume that sharing a name vs. not sharing a name is any indication of closeness.
08/11/09
You know what my last name is? Ferrari.
I feel like this anecdote would end any discussion about women being forced to take their husband's last name.
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08/11/09
Taking your husband's name IS pretty retro, but I don't really see anything inherently wrong in it. To force someone to change though is just fucked up. In Quebec (where I go to school) it's apparently the opposite - your name has to stay the same, and it's a much bigger hassle to go through to change it than in the US. Whatever...people should be able to do whatever they want with their names!
08/11/09
I've been told by married women that if you don't take your husband's name, it's more difficult to pick them up from school, have them released to them in your care, blah, blah.
I didn't change my name because it's a pain to get licensed in my profession (or submit any government paperwork for that matter) if you change your name. It's also safer for my husband and our future family if I practice under my maiden name and we're publicly listed under his.
I also hate my in-laws and want no part of my identity associated with them. Of course I haven't told my husband that part.
08/11/09