Liana: 23, went to UC Santa Cruz, was working full-time at a health clinic, and is now teaching and studying for her education degree, half Cuban, half Mexican, recently engaged, feminist.On changing her name after marriage:
"I feel a responsibility to young women through teaching. I want to give the Mexican children in the community a strong female example. That’s why I hesitate to change my name when I get married. I never thought I would want to change my name growing up until I met Bobby [her fiance]. I take pride in his name and his family. But I have these inner pangs to keep [her last name] Gomez and let my students know I’m half Mexican.”
Discussion Question:
Question 1
6 comments:
Changing your name, no matter what, is anti-feminist. When is the guy going to "honor" your family? Whatever identity you were born with, you should stick to. I got married 5 years ago and got in a huge fight about it with my husband. He was really offended that I didn't want to take his name, and I finally said to him, "Fine, let's switch names." I think he got the point after that. Nobody should have to change their identity for the sake of love, unless it's competely mutual.
i was completely thrilled to get rid of my last name. in fact, i think i just married the louse to get a new one.
I saw your web site address on Salon.com. About the comment on changing names, I agree with you.
My wife and I were the same way, so I suggested that I would change my middle name to hers if she took my last name, I also gave her the option of changing it back.
She married me and later on changed it back to her original name. I still have kept her middle name to this day.
I just wanted to say what I think your doing is fabulous and wish you the best of luck. As a self proclaimed feminist male, I work and/or volunteer for women's causes. When your book is finally published please send me an email to gstamas@aol.com because I would like to know when your book tour starts. Kudos on your trip! I will keep track myself...
Geo58
I've always thought that the drive towards a professional life without children is anti-feminist. It seems to me that true feminism is retaining one's womanhood and having freedom to be a woman as one chooses to be, not striving to be a man with a vagina. Isn't that what the whole fight for maternity leave was about?
Great talking to you guys last weekend. I'm reading the blog and you're doing really amazing work.
best,
Julia
Thats my girl there being beautiful and inspirational. Why do educated young women feel so threatened by other young women making traditional family choices? And I include myself in that former group as well. I think that modern feminism needs to be more inclusive. Its about personal decisons and informed choices, not conforming to stock ideas of what an independent woman is or needs to be. I think Liana knows whats shes doing and why and I applaud that.
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