[thisone]

Some people still give you weird glances and awkward pauses when you use it though.

In situations where it doesn't matter (and that's most of them) I've stopped correcting people who assume we're married and I've taken my partner's surname.

It actually makes things easier. If they assume you're married, they generally have no problem talking to you about whatever they called to talk to your partner about. When they find out you're not married, sometimes suddenly you can't be trusted.

[agilebyte]

But then it reinforces the belief there there aren't other options. Or rather, it does not show alternatives as more normal than one would assume. I guess that was the point of the article.

[thisone]

I can understand that, but I also don't like having to fight with a company rep because suddenly I'm not good enough to talk to.

If they want to assume I'm Mrs so-so, rather than Ms so, partner of Mr so-so, and that gets me better service, then I don't correct them.

If they ask directly, for whatever reason, I don't lie.