Female Supremacy Articles - Page 20

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"He knew I was adamant about me not taking his last name," says Jill. "But he didn't know I wanted him to take my last name."

So in one breath, Jill proposed and asked Richard to take her last name and marry her the next day in Las Vegas.

"I was flattered, actually," says Richard, who talked over the decision with his parents first. "I said yes right away. I didn't want her to get away either."

Mostly, the Westminster couple say, it's a conversation starter. The switcheroo occasionally results in an inquisitive look and a line of questioning. When it comes to paperwork, for example, various clerks look at Jill's maiden name and ask if they had the same name when they met.

"A little old lady at the Social Security office told me that he was a real keeper and she'd never heard of anyone doing it before," says Jill.

Men ask if it's legal (it is). Women want to know where Jill found him (they are old friends).

Everyone wants to know if Jill wears the pants in the family (Richard says she does).

"No one gives me trouble about it," says Richard.

Shannon Hickman was surprised when her fiancé, Joe Cothman said, "What do you think about me taking your last name?"

Joe said he wanted the family, which included Shannon's daughter from a previous relationship, to have the same last name.

"I was like, OK, that's sweet," says Shannon, 35.

"We discussed it, got the legal documents and consulted a lawyer. It works just like a female changing her name."