Bastard, Illegitimate Child = Outdated Terms/Concepts?

A child is only legitimate if the parents are married? Long ago, children out-of-wedlock was scandalous and shameful. Not so anymore. A bastard is a child whose parents aren't married. Aren't these old fashioned terms that ought to be retired by now? More and more children are parented by people who chose not to marry. Every gay couple that uses a surrogate for an offspring would have a bastard child. I understand legal technicalities, but so what if a child was born out-of-wedlock? Can't you still have a court preceding without the shameful concept of illegitimacy? Pretty harsh. Just curious what your opinions are about this.

• My opinion is: well, duh.

• Opinion on what? Yes, it is outdated and bastard is now just another insult like asshole and muthafucka.

• Yes. NO ONE uses the term "bastard" anymore.

• Yes. I'm born outside of marriage.. but my parents have been together for like 30 years, and they act just like a married couple. I don't see any difference between them and other married couples, I really don't. They have the same rights too.. so it's no big deal.

• Is there any legal difference between legitimate and illegitimate children now? There doesn't seem to be any in the laws governing custody and child support, how about inheritances?

• People used to damn the kids born outside of marriage. I'm glad we've moved past that.

• r5, divorce and the children of that partnership born in or out-of-wedlock is listed, or at least was still listed in the 1990s. This is why judges say that if you have children, you're better off getting married for the sake of the children legally.

• They used to shun unwed mothers. Calling the child of an unwed mother a bastard was a way of influencing behavior not considered acceptable. These day anything goes.

• "There are no illegitimate children, only illegitimate parents!" --Irene Dunne in some 40s movie

• There is no difference between children born in a marriage and those not. There are, in effect, no longer illegitimate children. If you are the child then you have equal claim to any inheritance and child support as any other child. There is no need to get married for the "sake of the children." Unmarried parents have equal claim to custody and rights over their children. Where the hell have you people been?