Brickbats

Naming Rights

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Darling Velez waited years to become a Spanish citizen. But after finally accepting the Colombian woman's application, the government quickly reversed itself. Spanish law forbids the government from registering names that don't clearly show the person's gender or that government officials believe can cause the person to be ridiculed. Registry officials suggested Darling change her first name to that of a saint to clearly indicate her gender, but she wants to keep the name she has had for 33 years. Unless she can register her name, Velez can't become a citizen.