"More Women Are Taking Their Husbands’ Last Names — Sort Of"

This morning I woke up to the somewhat unsettling news: more women are taking their husband's last names than they did in the 1990s. Did the Bush presidency roll back woman's lib?

For years I have never found it "usual" for women taking their husband's last name. Whatever woman I marry is not my property; she's my partner, an individual. Men don't change their names, so why should women? Except for the obvious biological differences and inflexible societal gender roles, I see women equal to men. I believe a woman can do just about anything a man can. Personally, I would beg my wife to keep her name. I do not see marriage as this "supernatural institution", but an institution of a partnership, based on mutual trust, love, and getting into crazy situations. Maybe marriage is stronger, thanks to our generation redefining it. If what autistic individuals can do is being redefined, many other things can too. The way I look at it is that marriage shouldn't be that you take another identity. You shouldn't have to.

Now I'm not saying to not do it, but it's not my cup of tea. I think my mom keeping her name when she married my dad did damage. And in her three marriages, she has in some form kept her maiden name. Then again, I guess I'm also in favor of having your daughter have her mother's maiden name as her last.

I'm just not with these guys on marriage. Heritage Foundation, go home. They also believe that when you're married, children are supposed to be conceived and born. Some married couples don't want kids. Heck, if I'm childless by the time I'm 30, I'll be somewhat saddened. I want my kids to see my successes, not be born after them. And although there's work to be done, 7 out of 10 millennials support marriage equality. Notice how I didn't say "same-sex marriage". I bet you in states like New York, that number is closer to 9 out of 10. Almost everyone I know in my group of friends, even the conservative ones who voted for Romney, didn't vote for the former Massachusetts governor because of his social views. They voted for him because they objected to the economic and legal views of the Obama administration.

By the way folks: can anyone tell me of any instances where a girl has tracked down, and I mean like, literally saw the guy she liked, found out who he was, and the two ended up married?