The concept of a woman taking her husband’s last name has long been debated. As we grow more progressive as a culture, the conversation becomes more relevant – and more complicated. Model, author, and resident outspoken celebrity Chrissy Teigen recently re-ignited the debate in a series of tweets defending her choices.
One Twitter user opened the floodgates with their post reading: “I’d really like to hear the reasoning behind women who won’t take their husband’s last name.” Teigen responded with her signature wit, saying: “My husband didn’t even take his last name?”
The 33-year-old is referring to the fact that like many performers, Teigen’s husband John Legend uses a stage name. Legend’s birth name is John Roger Stephens, and the couple’s children (three-year-old Luna and one-year-old Miles) don’t even go by Stephens.
Some fans support Teigen, pointing out the dated tradition by saying things like “and it’s not 1957”.
my husband didn’t even take his last name? https://t.co/BMo6OsgcVv
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 22, 2018
Others, however, were set on expressing their disapproval.
One tweet criticized Teigen’s response in numerous ways:
“1) never understand women not taking husbands last name/hyphenating theirs w/his 2) @chrissyteigen’s response didn’t answer original question 3) just because john last name isn’t legend isn’t the reason.. many celebs have stage names.”
Teigen, of course, was not going to let this slide. “You’ll never understand the simple reason of “because I don’t want to”? she retorted. It’s understandable why Teigen would grow frustrated after constant criticism of her family, but sadly, this has come to be the norm in modern parenting culture; especially with social media.
You’ll never understand the simple reason of “because I don’t want to”? https://t.co/NrOvLr9UF7
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 22, 2018
But one user said it best when they replied: “Why would anyone even have an opinion on this? I can’t think of something that concerns or affects other people any less….”
At the end of the day, this kind of decision is entirely up to the couple in question, tradition or not.
