I guess I can understand your wanting to change your last name, Holly, if you really hate it that much. I will never change my last name. And when people ask me why, I will always offer some feminist, anti-patriarchy diatribe as justification (followed, of course, by a Xena-esque battle cry). However, there is one other factor in my decision: Paperwork. Too much bloody paperwork. There's already too damn much paperwork involved in getting married what with a marriage license and tax forms and property and joint checking accounts and the fact that once you get married, your Christmas card list becomes at least twice what it used to be. Change your last name and you effectively have to notify any organization that has your name anywhere on file. The Department of Motor Vehicles, credit card companies, bank accounts, employer, health club membership, student loans, the federal government, the state government, the local Board of Elections ... even your goddam grocery store so they can change your name on that little discount card thingy you carry on your keychain so that the cashier doesn't give you any shit when you try to write a check imprinted with a different last name. Too much paperwork.
posted by Kate at 2:17 PM link/comments
