What's in a (married) name?

Bend author and sociologist Marcia K. Morgan, Ph.D. will present her book "Should I Change My Name? The Impact of Your Last Name on Identity, Marriage, and Happiness" at Paulina Springs Books on Thursday, August 10, at 6:30 p.m.

The book is a historical and cultural investigation into why married women delete their names in our country, since most women in the world do not. Why did this practice ruffle the feathers of the suffragists? If 30 percent of U.S. women keep their maiden names, and that number is growing, why do some men accept this trend and others don't? What about children and their names? Dr. Morgan discusses the stories from heterosexual and same-sex couples about their name decision, what worked/didn't work for them including the challenges and regrets, and reveals the six common last name options (hyphenating, changing names, adding name as middle name, etc.).

Morgan brings a wealth of experience from over 40 years as a sociologist/criminologist, researcher, trainer, and national expert on gender issues. Her passion is helping to give women a voice and she has appeared on numerous national television, radio, and podcast programs.

Morgan has consulted with many agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice and the Pentagon, and was selected to represent the United States in Italy at the NATO conference on victimization. In 1976, she and a colleague developed a ground-breaking forensic tool, the anatomically-correct dolls now used worldwide to interview victims of child sexual abuse. She initially made her mark heading up one of the first all-female law enforcement rape investigation programs in the U.S.

Morgan is an author of numerous books and articles, translated into multiple languages, on gender and crime. She is excited to look at gender from a different perspective in her new book on marriage and surnames.

Marcia and her husband, Andy Jordan, and yellow lab "Farfel" live in Bend.

Paulina Springs Books is located at 252 W. Hood Ave. For more information call 541-549-0866.