When a gay couple(regardless of if their men or women) get legally married who takes whos last name? Also the children that might be had through surrogate mothers or adoption? How is it decided? Like I personally took my ex husbands name but only because thats the way it's always been, but I don't know who made that rule or how it began
2006-12-11 15:54:38 · 12 answers · asked by gitsliveon24 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
Although I am not that familiar with the subject, my local newspaper did an article on gay parents for Father's Day last year. I looked the article up, and the children either had the last name of the biological parent or a hyphenated name of both parents.
2006-12-11 16:28:38 · answer #1 · answered by χριστοφορος ▽ 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
There really isn't a rule on this for any couple, gay or straight. Tradition dictates that in a straight couple, the woman takes the man's last name. Historically, this was to ensure that 1), she was his property and 2). any children she had be considered his property. Obviously, this is not true for our culture today.
A lot of couples today can create a new last name using letters from both of the last names or can both hyphenate their last names. It really is all up to the couple and legally changing your name is not as difficult as it once was.
Children's last names will either be the same as their parents, gay or straight. Or, again, is a decision left up to the couple raising them.
2006-12-11 17:56:58 · answer #2 · answered by jenn_smithson 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, there's no law that says that you HAVE to take your spouses name upon marriage. Many women keep their names.
For gay/lesbian couples, they could keep their last names, take one of the other's name or come up with a new name altogether.
It's not "always" been that way. Just a tradition.
As for the children...what's the question there? They could name the child anything they want. The child doesn't have to take the last name of the person adopting them. My neighbor's kid was adopted by her stepfather, but she kept her natural father's last name.
2006-12-11 17:02:33 · answer #3 · answered by joannaserah 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When gay marriages become legal, couples should be able to decide for themselves. My opinion is we can hyphen the names, example: John Jones-Smith for one, and Bill Smith-Jones
for the other. Same for the women if they choose. That way the children can have both names. Hopefully details like this won't hinder our rights as Americans to have the same freedom as others'
2006-12-11 16:12:09 · answer #4 · answered by older, not wiser 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
What kind of "rule" could there possibly be for that? Even in a hetero marriage, there is the option of the man taking the wife's name, or both partners changing their name (as in the instance of hyphenated last names and, occasionally, completely new names). While the "social norm" is for the woman to take the man's name, there is no such preconcieved heirarchy for same-sex marriage. It's entirely up to the couple what name to go with.
2006-12-11 16:08:00 · answer #5 · answered by Geoff S. 3 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Taking the last name of a spouse is a choice no matter your gender. I've seen men take the woman's surname. For gays, i imagine it's the same way. Same with children. They get the name that the couple chooses to give them, no matter the couple's sexual orientation or gender. At least, that is how i imagine it to be...
Gays and straights are not that different from one another, ya know.
2006-12-11 16:47:58 · answer #6 · answered by raiyneofgailin 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
That's for the individual couples to decide. I think I might hyphenate my name... Maybe not change names at all and respect eachother's individuality!
2006-12-11 16:01:00 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Of all the gay couples that I know..everyone without fail has retained his or her original surname. LOL my husband and I have the same first name...so that would get really confusing.
2006-12-11 16:46:34 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
My wife and I have hyphenated our last names.
We don't plan to have kids, but we've already decided that girls will have my last name and boys will have hers if our minds change.
We were surprised to see just how confused our straight friends are about this issue, too!
2006-12-11 15:59:25 · answer #9 · answered by GreenEyedLilo 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
most people keep their last names. if they don't, they hyphenate it. the kids usually have the hyphenated name, or the name of the birth mother.
2006-12-11 16:28:35 · answer #10 · answered by Becky 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋