Brianna Hoskins and Crystal
Reese were legally married in New York and, as many married couples do, they
wanted to share the same last name.
Easier said than done.
After returning home to
Chesterfield Township in Michigan, the couple went to the Social Security
offices Brianna’s name was legally changed to Brianna Reese. Afterwards, she went
to the local Secretary of State, her marriage license and social security
documentation in hand, and was told she would be placed on a six month probationary
period before the name change can take place.
"It's discrimination based on sexual orientation, and it's just so ridiculous. We live in 2014, what are we on probation for - for being gay?" — Crystal ReeseThe couple was given a phone number, in Lansing, to call, and when Brianna inquired as to why she had to wait six months — when straight couples face no such “probationary” period — and explained that she was legally, federally, married, the voice on the other end of the line said, “Well, if you would have married a man you'd have no problem changing your name.”
A spokesperson with the
Secretary of State says the only way for legally married, federally recognized
legally married, same-sex couples to get a name change is to go through the
courts or get a common-law name change, which takes six months.
And, while
this may seem minor to some folks who would say, So what? Wait the six months, it’s just one more obstacle for
same-sex couples to deal with, and why should we?
Legally
married. Brianna Reese is in the military and the military has recognized her
marriage and accepts her name change; Social Security accepts the name change;
the federal government accepts it, as does the Internal Revenue Service. But
the Secretary of State of Michigan says she needs to wait six months for the
state to accept, not her marriage, which as of now is not legally recognized in
Michigan, but simply accept that she has a new name.
Luckily,
a trial begins in federal court next month to overturn
Michigan's ban on gay marriage and so maybe Brianna won’t have to wait the six
months to change her name to her wife’s name.
