[Thoughts] Me, and My Mother's Last Name

Gender inequality issues have received more and more attention in the past decades, one of them being whether the child's last name follows from the father's last name or the mother's, another of them being whether to change to the husband's last name or not after a woman got married.

As far as I know, in the U.S., it's customary for a woman to use her father's last name before marriage and her husband's after marriage. I believe the same rule generally applies to most of other European countries. In Taiwan, nowadays, women under 50 rarely use their husbands' last name, at least not anymore. In 2011, there are two new policies regulating the use of one's last name. One is allowed to freely change one's last name to the mother's last name, but this option can only be practiced once, which means you can't change back. Another policy states that, a new born baby does not use the father's last name by default anymore. Rather, the couple discuss whose last name to use, or the government will decide for you. (I believe most couples will decide for themselves, so the government does not really play an important role in naming. )

Some of the comments can be heard in my life. A male professor said during the class: "Of course I would use my own last name to name my son instead of using my wife's. There's no big deal in this issue, so why bother to change?" A female stylist said during my haircut: "The new policy is not good. How can we distinguish the family one is from if one's last name can either be father's or mother's? What if we married our relative?" A female technician working in a motorcycle shop said "Yes, nowadays people are more willing to accept these kinds of things. There's nothing wrong with it." A female teacher said: "Why would anyone wants to change the last name into the mother's last name?"

At least, I'd say, people in Taiwan have an option, something that people in the U.S. do not have. Gender equality does not necessarily follow from the change of one's last name, of course. It goes too far to say Taiwan is more developed than the U.S. on this issue, but still, I'm very glad we have options.

2013/10/06 added:
By the way... it's a common scene that husband call his newly-wed as "Mrs. XXX" and the wife will feel flattered and very sweet...(of losing her original last name?) Never had the talent to appreciate these kinds of joy...