The Price of Feminism

I am getting married in February, but not changing my name. I wouldn't have thought that was a controversial decision in this day and age, but a couple of relatives have been surprised.

But that's nothing compared to my surprise when my fiance told me that, when he called Verizon to have them put my name on the account (in case, you know, someone calls information trying to find me), they told him that they are charging us $2.50 a month for this "service". If we had the same last name, no charge.

Are you kidding me?

I'm sure they have some super-acceptable rationale for this numskullery, having to do with the extra millisecond or two it might take their computer to parse the two names when someone calls just looking for one of us.

But really, isn't it time for the Verizon to accept that more and more households have different names these days and their system needs to keep up? My mother can manage this, but the phone company can't? Oh wait, they're a monopoly.* They don't need to do anything.

*Yes, Ma Bell was broken up 25 years ago, but if you can only get local phone service from one company, that's pretty much a monopoly. And don't talk to me about cable phone.