Open Letter to MySpace

[athene]

Dear MySpace,

Thank you for coming up with ways in which I can connect with people that I have lost touch with. However, I am offended at your assumption that I changed my name when I got married. I did not. In fact, my husband took my last name. Do you have a way for him to add in his former name in a way that is not going to be listed as "Maiden" name, because he was not a maiden? Former name would be more gender neutral and open to people who may have changed their name for reasons other than getting married.

Sincerely,
Athene

Comments

[42itous.livejournal.com]

Wow, really? That's sad.

I mean, I changed my name when I got married, but it's because the new one is easier for many people to understand (if not spell). And it sounds the same as L.I.W.'s -- she was my husband's seventh cousin four times removed. But I see that as just as controversial a choice as deciding not to change one's name, or to hyphenate, or some other choice. It seems to me that any with-it company (online or otherwise) should, in this day and age, not assume that anyone is doing or not doing anything with their name.

When I changed my name, my bank wouldn't change the name on my account. Never mind that I had in my hand a marriage certificate, a Social Security card, and a new driver's license. So I closed that account and moved my money to a different bank. Heh.