Is is Name Just a Word, or is it Something More?

     In today's American tradition, most women take on their husband's last name when they marry.  With the rise of feminism, an increasing number of women keep their maiden names through marriage.  I think that although this tradition is based on some notion of male superiority and ownership over women in our history, in modern times it is only significant if people choose to make it significant.
     In a equal relationship between two adults, the woman taking on the husband's last name is simply a matter of tradition and does not necessarily signify any sort of male superiority, if they don't think of it that way.
     On the other hand, if the relationship is such that the male presumes superiority over his wife, then the woman taking on the man's last name signifies a trend of male superiority and ownership.
     A name may seem a trivial part of a human, and I believe that if a woman does not let the loss of her name affect her, it won't.  But in many cases, a name can grow in importance to signify much more than just a word - a status, and an identity.  In the case of Katherine, in Taming of the Shrew, when she loses her name by marriage, she also loses part of her identity as an independent woman.
     In summary, I think that a woman taking her husband's last name is simply a harmless tradition - until it becomes more than that.  A lot of times, a name becomes representative of that person's identity, and holding on to a name can be a very important thing.

What is Feminism, and do I Believe in it?

Feminism, as defined by Google, is "the advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes."  Many of us, including myself, would agree that men and women should be treated equally.  Few would outright admit to being a sexist, and as a female, I certainly don't identify as one.

Despite this, there is a social stigma surrounding the word "feminism".  When somebody says "I am a feminist", others assume a wide range of things about that person, such as that they hate men, that they think women are superior to men, or just bossy.  In addition, when a person denies being feminist, it is sometimes assumed that they are sexist, or believe that men are superior to women.  These assumptions stem from a misconception or a disagreement about what a "feminist" is.  Most self-proclaimed feminists believe in equality of men and women, and certainly don't hate men.  In this definition of feminism, I am a feminist, because I believe that men and women should have equal rights.

When I am asked whether I am a feminist, I shrug and say no, because I don't want to be associated with assumptions and stigmas surrounding the word.  Hopefully, in the future, being a feminist will be seen as just, and purely about the equality of men and women, not anything else.