Thursday, January 10, 2008

Feminism versus Efficiency

Under a gray sky and in between light showers, I walked to the corner of 9th and Lenora from 5th and Pike, entered a nondescript brown building, and took a number. Twenty minutes later my social security information was updated with my new name.

From there I walked to 2nd and Spring, the location of the Department of Licensing. Roughly 20 minutes later I walked out with a paper copy of my new license. The man helping me was very friendly with a dry sense of humor, and instructed me on how to stick my chin out for a more flattering photo. For the record he knew of which he spoke.

From the DOL I walked to my bank at the corner of 4th and Pike and opened a new account, because my old account was based out of California and there are problems updating accounts between states.

There are many more agencies I need to contact, but now I've done the big ones and I have my base set of documents in order. I have a new last and middle name and briefly considered changing my first name as well. It's always slightly irked me that Christy isn't short for anything, but when all was said and done I kept it.

It is a strange thing to have a different name. To insist that people refer to me as a Mrs. or by this foreign surname when all my life I was pretty sure that would be decidedly unfeminist. And I suppose there is still some truth to that, but come on. My new name is way easier to spell.

2 comments:

Casey said...

Your maiden last name is kind of a pain to spell. I always had to look it up. Did you change your middle name to your maiden last name?

Folly Blaine said...

Yessir. Christy V. Johnson, at your service.

I like that my initials sound like the pronunciation of ceviche.