Opinion | What’s in a surname?
Summary
A Nepali opinion piece questions why women are still defined by their father’s or husband’s surname and argues that surnames reinforce patriarchy rather than identity. It also highlights the practical barriers women face in citizenship and lineage systems when using their mother’s name.
Key Points
- The writer compares a surname to an invisibility cloak that obscures a woman’s independent identity.
- The article argues that Nepal’s social norms and citizenship practices still prioritize a man’s lineage over a woman’s name.
- It highlights the difficulties women face when trying to obtain citizenship through their mother’s name.
- The piece calls for recognition of women by their first name and challenges the cultural expectation of taking a husband’s surname.
