After winning a court case that changed a California law against men taking their wives' last name, Michael Buday picked up his new driver's license bearing his new name -- Michael Bijon, according to Reuters.

Two years ago, Michael and wife Diana Bijon were surprised to learn that for him to take her surname, he would have to pay $350 and face a barrage of bureaucracy, including court appearances and paper work usually not obstacles for women. The couple took their case to the American Civil Liberties Union -- and won.

"Women have fought for so long for equal rights and it feels like this is part of that fight," said Diana Bijon. "When we got married, the law basically said, 'Don't be silly, only a woman can change her name when she gets married."'

"I am really, really proud of him. Not many men would do this," she said.

A subsequent lawsuit led to a new California state law guaranteeing the rights of both married couples and registered domestic partners to choose whichever last name they prefer on their marriage and driving licences.

"This disposes of the rule in California that the male surname is the marital name to the same trash bin where dowries were once tossed out," said Mark Rosenbaum, legal director of the Southern California chapter of the ACLU.

Michael said he decided to take his wife's last name because he is closer to his father-in-law than his own father.

I learned about this story through Salon's Broadsheet.

I find it unbelievable that a country, which only a few decades ago had a vicious right-wing dictatorship, just elected a left-leaning woman president -- before the United States.

Not only did Cristina Fernandez run on sensible programs such as more funding for public education and a crackdown on those involved in the human rights abuses by the country’s 1976-83 dictatorship, she even used her own last name, which would never happen in the free U.S. of A. From the Associated Press:

Fernandez, a three-term senator who won office handily on a left-leaning ticket, captured 45 percent of the vote against a divided opposition Oct. 28. She joins Michelle Bachelet in Chile as the second sitting female president in South America.

Approval ratings for (her husband and current President Nestor) Kirchner topping 60 percent have been largely credited with Fernandez's victory, although she was praised for an astute, unorthodox campaign. Refusing to debate any of her rivals and granting few interviews, Fernandez preferred to be photographed overseas meeting world leaders — projecting a flair for diplomacy while masking a lack of executive branch experience.

Argentine law prevents more than two consecutive terms, but a husband-and-wife team could alternate in power for as long as their support continues.

I am not down with dynasties, but it is cool that a left-leaning duo like Fernandez and Kirchner appear to have moved Argentina in the right direction. Also, I am envious that people actually voted on Fernandez’s merits and not whether she was "too liberal," took her husband’s last name -- remember “Rodham-Gate?” -- or whether the Argentine people were ready for a woman president, or any other such nonsense.

Fernandez, BTW, is technically the second female president of Argentina to Isabel Peron, who as vice president assumed the presidency when her husband Juan Peron died in 1974. She was ousted 20 months later in a coup.