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A woman's right to a surname

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Original post by shanayjb
Thank you for that enlightening reply, you are right, these days a lot of women are keeping their surnames. However the MAJORITY as stated in the original question are taking their husband's names, we are saying whether this is contradictory.

There is no right or wrong, but it's nice to read differing opinions on the matter.

If you think it is a silly question then so be it.


Contradictory of what? There are reasons its developed as a tradition. Couples can pick whatever name they like. Why would it be anyone elses business?
Well it's voluntary, so I guess the answer would be "no".

As an aside though, I personally think double-barrelled names are a bit silly. I think women should either change their surname, or just keep their own if they'd prefer not to change it.
(edited 7 years ago)
Well I certainly won't be keeping my surname with one like Rough ahaha put a ring on it boyyyy
Original post by shanayjb
Women predominantly take the name of their husband in heterosexual marriages, does this contradict contempory women's rights?


Do women have the right to keep their name? Yes.

So is anything contradicted? No.

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I disagree as it is a tradition that should not be broken.
A woman must take oj her husbands name, as the man proposes, so by proposing she should take on my name
For practical purposes I'd just keep my surname, not that I am female.

Saves the effort of having to change it.
Personally I don't think I'd pay attention to the traditions when I get married - I'll just discuss it with my partner and decide ourselves. Not that I intend to get married for quite a while...
I'm curious, those saying they'll keep their own separate surnames - which surname would you give to the children?
Original post by Elivercury
I'm curious, those saying they'll keep their own separate surnames - which surname would you give to the children?


That's a good question.
Also I have wondered as more and more double barrel families abound, they are more likely to meet and fall in love. So, what happens when John Fitzwilliam-Jones marries Mary Thomas-Jenkins?
Does she become Mary Fitzwilliam-Jones-Thomas Jenkins? :tongue:
Original post by caravaggio2
That's a good question.
Also I have wondered as more and more double barrel families abound, they are more likely to meet and fall in love. So, what happens when John Fitzwilliam-Jones marries Mary Thomas-Jenkins?
Does she become Mary Fitzwilliam-Jones-Thomas Jenkins? :tongue:


I've made this exact same argument when people suggest "just double-barrel your surnames" to me regarding my marriage.

To go one further, what happens when Mary Fitzwilliam-Jones-Thomas-Jenkins meets John Smith-Bloggs-Brown-Ramzan? What about their kids? The amalgam names would be even more hilarious. Perhaps take the first letter from each name?

It gets very ridiculous very quickly.
It's a choice...?
I can't wait to take my husband's surname, because I really hate my own
As a feminist I believe that if a woman wants to take her husband's last name, without regards to how it may be expected of her in society, then that's fine that's her choice. However, if she feels pressured to take it because of society and because of family or because of even movies where women are so 'excited' to change their last name to their husband's last name. So yeah, it's her choice and should be for her own reasons.
Personally, I've never liked the idea of a woman taking the husband's last name traditionally because it basically just shows a woman going from being her dad's to her husband's so it's like women are constantly expected to take the names of the men in their lives.
This is why even Women hate modern day feminism.


It's just brainless drivel.
Original post by caravaggio2
That's a good question.

Also I have wondered as more and more double barrel families abound, they are more likely to meet and fall in love. So, what happens when John Fitzwilliam-Jones marries Mary Thomas-Jenkins?

Does she become Mary Fitzwilliam-Jones-Thomas Jenkins? :tongue:



No she takes on the husbands name
Original post by Tsrsarahhhh
MRS implies you belong to the MR (MR'S)


Mrs is ultimately short for "Mistress". It's just adding the suffix "ess" onto the word "Mister" to make it feminine, in the same way that you turn "actor" into "actress".

It's not an implication of possession.
Original post by shanayjb
Women predominantly take the name of their husband in heterosexual marriages, does this contradict contempory women's rights?


men predominantly pay for women in a relationship - does this contradict contemporary men's rights?
I think many feminists and women-rights activists need to stop telling other people how or what to do with their lives. The choice to choose what a woman wants to do after marriage is for her to make - neither her partner nor feminists should go around suggesting what she should do.
I'm a woman and I intend to take my future husband's surname. I think it's right that women can choose though.
Original post by Blue_Mason
No she takes on the husbands name


So double barreling is a one generation only thing? Doesn't sound very workable.
Original post by Elivercury
So double barreling is a one generation only thing? Doesn't sound very workable.



It is workable, as it has worked for many generations.

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