Brooklyn resident John went to his local Con Edison office to get his utility bill changed to reflect his new last name: having just married another man (in Vermont, where it’s legal) and adopting his now-husband Eufemio last name, John had been making the rounds to update his bank and phone statements, and now it was time for the electricity. But a Con Ed staffer there, identified as Mr. Navarro, refused, even when given a copy of the marriage certificate — which New York State recognizes as valid, even if gay couples cannot marry in their own state. But there’s good news: After having his story shared on The Consumerist, and filing a complaint with New York’s human rights department the same day of the incident, Con Ed reversed the lowly staffer’s decision and granted the name change. But, says John: “This does not erase the fact that I was subjected to illegal discrimination. I have no plans to withdraw my New York State Division of Human Rights discrimination complaint.” [photo via]
Comixbear
Why the hell do people like this ConEd moron and the DMV idiot recently feel like they have the right to pick and choose which procedures they follow? If someone has a legal name change, then you don’t have the right to even comment on the reason for the change. IT DOESN’T AFFECT YOU AT ALL!!
Cam
@Comixbear:
They think they have the right because we have politicians out there behaving as if the entire country needs to follow the dictates of their religeon, and we have the Mormons and the Catholics spending millions to try to force people to live by their beliefs. I hope the guy was fired.
Hyhybt
I’m surprised they’d even ask *why* someone has changed their name. If a grown man can name himself Optimus Prime because he likes Transformers…
MikeE
@Hyhybt: to be perfectly honest, I’d have to question the “grown man” status of anyone who changed their name to “Optimus Prime”.
Hyhybt
@MikeE: Well, there is that… it was something I read about several years ago, but he was at least *legally* an adult, and in some branch of the military. Marines, I think.
B
No. 1 · Comixbear wrote, “Why the hell do people like this ConEd moron and the DMV idiot recently feel like they have the right to pick and choose which procedures they follow?”
Make that “ex-DMV idiot”. The incident resulted in a career
change.
saltydog
This is the most ridiculous story I’ve ever heard. Regardless of whether or not the state allows gay marriages all states allow for legal name changes.