Interesting Article...

As a wedding photographer, I try to read articles that relate to marriage and weddings to keep abreast of current trends and whatnot. Well, I recently read this article that blew my mind!! I have got to share it with you, my wedding clients. It's about women who get married and change their last name to their husband's name. According to a recent survey, "women who change their name at marriage make nearly $400,000 less over their lifetimes than women who do not". It further adds that these women are viewed as "older, less educated, and unmotivated" compared to their counterparts.

What?!? Can you believe that? Just because I take my husband's last name, I am now going to be viewed as an uneducated and lazy old woman? And, I am suddenly going to make almost half a million dollars less in my lifetime? Why would society place such pressures on women to marry and assume a "traditional" role if they are just going to look down their noses at the women that do? Neither the people that view women in that way nor the bosses that will pay less because of a woman that changes her last name upon marriage are the kind of people that I prefer to associate with. I'll just stick with my circle of family and friends that love me for me rather than what my last name is! Ugh...
- ang

(The article was originally printed in the New York Times, but click here for the link to where I read it.)