As a new, supposedly more equitable tradition – at least outside of the Spanish-speaking world – it seems scarcely less prone to complication and trade-offs. When hyphenated offspring come to name their own children – and if they follow the same rules as their hyphenated parents – the whole thing rapidly becomes unworkable, and, at risk of causing offence, names will have to be cut. Lest each child sound like a law firm.
Though I suppose one could take it as a kind of unintended symbolism, a measure of modern progressivism. In that, the problem it allegedly addresses doesn’t seem to be much of a problem for most of those it supposedly oppresses, and the solution offered is somewhat short-sighted and soon results in something close to absurdity.
On marriage, surnames, and the looming hyphenation crisis.
Now that we have DNA testing we need to stop taking women at their word and testing all children before putting a father’s name on a birth certificate. No proof of the father, no name on the cert.
But ever-more complex hyphenation doesn’t have to be the case. For example, look what happened when an Elliot-Trudeau hopped a Bernard-Sinclair: the end result was simply an Arsehole.
I once attended the consecration of a Bishop with a hyphenated surname appointed to a Diocese with a hyphenated name! He mentioned this in his homily, adding that the Apostolic Delegate had joked about this to him, suggesting it was why he was chosen for that Diocese, but himself hoping there were better reasons behind his appointment!!!
Not sure how one can have a “new” tradition. 🙂
Another odious and dysfunctional legacy of extremist anti-family feminists.
Euthanasia is the obvious solution.