Reason #2: "It will make us seem more like a family unit."

	Yes, and the half that bears the children is a less important part of the unit as evidenced by the loss of identity in giving up her name.
	I wonder how many cases there are where a husband considered cheating on his wife with a younger woman, but decided not to because his wife ("family unit" partner) had the same last name as he.  Right.
	And should you get divorced, I am sure you will want your children to have your ex-husband's last name, the same name his children from his next wife will have.   You'll be one big happy family unit!

 

Reason #3: "It's TRADITION!"

	And so is female genital mutilation in some African countries.  And so is binding feet in China.  And so is hazing on college campuses.  And so is raping an enemy's wife in certain Arab countries. And so was stoning women who didn't wear a veil in Afghanistan.  And so was attaching leeches to the body of sick people with high fevers.  Maybe there are some traditions we should change.
	Define tradition:  Something stupid that cannot be explained.
	From Despair, Inc:  TRADITION  Just because you've always done it that way doesn't mean it's not incredibly stupid.
	Define subjugation:  Need I say more?

 

Reason #4: "I don't like my last name."

	Then change it to something else you like.  Or to your mother's maiden name.  Or grandmother's.   Why not honor either of them who brought you into this world rather than someone you will spend part of you life with and could leave you at any time?
	Many men don't like their names either, but do they take their wife's name?  Nope, they deal with it.
	What's more important?  Your name or your attitude?

 

Reason #5: "I'm proud to be married and be called Mrs. Husband's-Last-Name."

	Hmmm.  Let's follow this "logic" through.  So is your husband not proud to be married because he isn't Mr. Wife's-Last-Name?  And furthermore, then am I not proud to be married because I didn't take my husband's last name?  WRONG!   I'm proud to be married and proud of who I am as an individual.
	There's no equivalent married man title like there is for married women.  Does this lack of information impede you in any way when dealing with men?  Then why would you feel the desire to impart this information yourself just because you're a woman?
	Could you find some other less inferior, submissive and subjugative way to show your pride in being married than giving up your last name?
	Technically, you're taking your husband's father's and male ancestor's last name.  What do you know about them?  Wouldn't you rather keep your OWN father's last name?  Or if not, then take your mother's or her mother's maiden name?
	If you must must must label yourself as being married, why can't you go by Mrs. Your-Last-Name?
	Why don't you then also buy a big T-Shirt that says "I'M MARRIED".  And have "Mrs. Husband's-Last-Name" tatooed on your forehead.  That would mean you're even more proud, right?

 

Reason #6: "It was more important to my husband" ...or worse yet... "He wouldn't marry me if I didn't change my last name."

	What a way to start a marriage based on respect, equality and fairness.
	Where does the use of that one stop for a husband?  "Hey honey, can you get me a beer?  It's important to me!"   "Hey sweetie, can my mother come and live with us - it's important to me!"  "Hey sugar, can you do my laundry?  It's important to me."
	Is your identity not equally important?  Are you capitulating like a good 1950's wife should?
	And we all know how much respect men have for groveling, subservient women who are only too willing to "obey and serve" their husbands.  When will women realize men don't find pandering attractive?

 

Reason #7: "We want our kids to have the same last name."

	Translation:  "We want our kids to have the same last name as long as it is the man's last name."
	Why not the WOMAN'S last name?  I'm all for fairness.  Let's examine the contributions of each parent:

Mother's Nondiscretionary Contributions: ● Body supports developing fetus for 9 months ● Nausea and fatigue and discomfort ● Decline in general health ● Frequent gain in weight ● Swollen, achy extremities ● Loss of time (free or work) to go to doctor appointments ● Hours of painful, exhausting labor ● Painful birth ● Post-partem soreness ● Frequent post-partem depression ● Financial and developmental career sacrifice during maternity leave (worse if exiting workforce to care for child) ● Food and immunity passed through breast milk ● Middle of the night feedings ● Permanent post-birth physical changes such as smaller breasts, change in hair texture & color, metabolism, dental problems, etc.

Father's Nondiscretionary Contributions: ● Sperm donor If he sticks around to be a father: ● Emotional support during and after pregnancy ● Financial support during maternity leave ● Helps care for the newborn(s) (Thankfully most fathers are helpful and supportive!)

	So given the above, what do you think is fair?  (I know the martyrs will shake their heads and mutter some female-degrading or self-deprecating excuse here.)
	If you feel that sperm donorship is a contribution worthy of bestowing his last name  upon the child you brought into the world, why not the girls take mom's last name and boys take the father's?  That's equitable from a statistics point of view, though not from a contribution viewpoint.

 

Reason #8 (verbatim): "my parents were married for 50 years, with my father nursing her through every hour up until her excrutiatingly painful death from cancer complications. she took his name. i will take my future husband's as well."

	This one is a little hard for me to follow.  Is she saying the reason her father nursed her mother was because her mother took her father's last name?  And to emulate her mother, she will also sacrifice her identity for a completely different man who could dump her in 6 months and not be around long enough to nurse her through a cold much less cancer?
	If I understand correctly, in order to honor her father whose last name she shares, she's going to dump it and take some other man's last name, a man she's known for a fraction of the time she's known her father who brought her into the world?  Wow, dad, don't fall over from the weight of all that honor being bestowed unto you!   My experience is that my 50's sitcom father (and mother too) was honored that all three of his daughters kept the last name we share with him.  I guess we have a stronger feeling of family & self-worth.
	The scariest thing about this one is that it comes from a popular media personality who acts tough and independent on the air but apparently has tinges of insecurity and lacks reasoning skills.
	The ironic epilogue is that her fiancé got her pregnant and then he dumped her and now she's a single mom.