When Michael Buday married Diana Bijon, he decided he wanted to take her last name. "It was personal. I feel much closer to (Diana's) father than I do mine... I never imagined the state would make it so difficult," he says. It took a $350 fee, court appearances, a public announcement and mounds of paperwork to have his name changed on his driver's license. California and some 40 other U.S. states have no place on the marriage license application or drivers license for the groom to choose the bride's surname. Michael took his case to the ACLU and a lawsuit led to a new California state law: Married couples and registered domestic partners can now choose whichever last name they prefer on their marriage and driving licenses. Says the ACLU's Mark Rosenbaum: "This disposes of the rule in California that the male surname is the marital name to the same trash bin where dowries were once tossed out." Baby steps!Again, this story tosses into my "Why mess with tradition?" mentality...
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