In a landmark ruling that is already sparking laughter across social media, South Africa’s Constitutional Court has declared that men can now proudly take their wives’ surnames.
Until Thursday, the law allowed women to take their husbands’ names with ease, but men who tried had to go through bureaucratic gymnastics at the Department of Home Affairs, a process that often ended with rejection.
The court described the old law as outdated, unfair, and guilty of reinforcing “patriarchal gender norms.” In other words, the legal system had been acting like that stubborn uncle who insists only men can head the family tree.
The case was brought by two couples: in one, the woman wanted her late parents’ surname carried on; in the other, the bride, an only child, was determined her family name wouldn’t vanish into history.
With this judgment, the men of South Africa can now join their European and American counterparts in swapping surnames at the altar. So don’t be surprised if you soon meet a Mr. Nkosi-Mkhize or a Mr. Dlamini-Molefe.
As the judges have ruled, it’s no longer “her name or nothing.” From now on, husbands too can happily say, “Yes, I do and I’ll take that surname with me.”