In The Name of the Mother

21.Abr.2011

FA will present a bill of law which, among other aspects, will enable parents to choose the first surname that children will bear. Legislator Sebastian Sabini told Montevido Portal that the initiative posits “an equal matrimonial relationship between the spouses.”

Frente Amplio representative, Sebastian Sabini, will present a bill which among otehr this will enable the parents to choose the first surname that the child will carry. The current legislation in Uruguay stipulates that the paternal surname prevails over the maternal one. The bill which is being prepared by Sabini originated from a proposal made by the “Colectivo Ovejas Negras.”

When consulted by Montevido Portal, Sabini commented that “there is no logical reason that is not related to a practically patriarchic model that prevails in the current legislation. Evidently the problem arises as soon as there is a possibility marrying two people of the same sex. We understand that marriage has to be an equal relationship and in that sense we have to legislate. This is why there is a proposal which allows couples to choose the order in which their surnames appear.

Sabini also explained that when he started to work on the issue, he thought they were’nt going to have a lot of opposition “there were pronouncements against the proposal and I think that’s fine. Luckily we live in a democracy. Some of us think we have to broaden rights and others think we have to impose a way of thinking upon society. With this we’re not making anyone get married. We’re just opening other doors”.

According to Ultimas Noticias, FA representatives will study the bill for children to carry their parent’s name indistinctly. It will be part of the equal marriage proposal presented by Sabini.

There is no worldwide consensus about the order of maternal and paternal last names. In Brazil for example the maternal name prevails. In other countries it’s often by alphabetical order or the lots are drawn.