Right now, in most U.S. states, men who want to take their wife’s last name after marriage—or anyone choosing a non-traditional name structure—are forced into an entirely different legal process than women. Instead of using a marriage certificate, like women often can, they must file a court petition, pay hundreds of dollars in legal fees, publish their name in a newspaper, and attend a hearing—just to do the same thing.

This impacts men, trans and non-binary people, LGBTQ+ couples, and anyone trying to build an identity that doesn’t follow outdated gender norms. It’s not just paperwork. It’s inequality written into law.

If nothing changes, millions of Americans will continue to face unequal treatment based purely on outdated norms leftover from our nation’s patriarchal past. These legal burdens reinforce the harmful idea that only women should change their name, or that it’s “unnatural” when men do. It sends a message that our legal system still values traditional gender roles over fairness.

But if we act now, we can fix it. A simple change in state and federal law can make name changes after marriage equal, affordable, and accessible for everyone.

We’re living in a time where more people than ever are challenging old norms and demanding equality—whether in relationships, family roles, or identity. The law should reflect that.

In 2025, it’s unacceptable that gender still determines how easily you can take your partner’s name. With growing awareness around gender equity and marriage equality, we have a chance to finally fix this broken system.

Let’s pass the Equal Names Act and end this form of legal discrimination once and for all.