When gay couples marry what happens to their last name

In countries like the U. But, if both members of a couple are the same sex and they want to share a last name, it's not so clear whose they should keep, if either. It's a way of taking a longstanding tradition and adapting to it in a progressive way. So, it seemed fitting that I would choose this name after getting married in hopes that I might embody everything this name means.

Others see the opportunity to share a last name as a challenge to the institution of marriage itself. Others feel that sharing a last name gives their marriage more credibility in the eyes of a culture that understands marriage to be between a man and a woman.

This year’s landmark Supreme Court ruling, which legalized gay marriage around the country, means same-sex couples will be facing the name-change question more than ever before. Below, we heard from real queer and same-sex couples about their experiences deciding on a surname to help solve the mystery of how to choose a last name once you're married.

Choosing whether to change your last name in an LGBTQIA+ (or straight) marriage is completely up to you. But then I got married and suddenly cared about my name. Remember, You Don’t Have to Change Your Last Name at All Just because it’s a tradition for couples to change their last name after the wedding doesn’t mean that you have to follow suit.

As we have been together for 11 years, many of our friends had already called us the Schwilliams for a long time. But this is not the case for everyone. Please enter a valid email address. Liz Susong. Thank you [email] for signing up. Because of newly acquired rights and complicated legalities, some same-sex couples have viewed sharing a last name as extra insurance in case of an emergency, like a hospital trip.

By Liz Susong. Related Stories. Liz Susong is the editor of Catalyst Wedding Co. Brides's Editorial Guidelines. There are certain changes, however, that may require court orders, which involve a separate hearing or an application process, in addition to the marriage license.

Read more:. Because there is no precedent, same-sex couples are forced to have intentional conversations around values, identity, and family before choosing how to approach the last name issue. Tony and his husband also chose to combine their last names after their wedding. Instead, Melinda and her wife, Patti, elected to combine their names to create a new last name.

Sharing a last name may feel like the simplest route if you're planning to have kids. But if you both want to keep your own names, consider giving your kids a hyphenated surname. For some, sharing a last name with their partner is deeply important and can make certain situations—like medical visits or having children—easier.

These conversations may go unspoken for opposite-sex couples, but many opposite-sex couples are having those difficult conversations these days, too. For instance, maybe one person just has a nicer-sounding name. Skip to content. Or there may be a variety of sentiments attached to one name that the couple prefers.

Photo by Alicia Swedenborg. Your name is your identity and getting married to another person doesn’t have to change that. Email Address Subscribe. It was either Schwilliams or Willhakett which is mass murderer-sounding. If an individual changes their name when they marry, the first document that will have their new name is their marriage license.

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