From Richard Daggett:

Re: Ladies second: are we sexist in writing? (March 16): Your recent article in World Science, titled “Ladies second: are we sexist in writing?” raised interesting questions. While the male name appeared first in most of your examples, there is one area where the opposite is preferred. To be “socially correct” a married couple should be listed in this order: wife’s given name, then husbands given name, then the surname. It would appear as Mary and John Doe.

Richard Daggett
Downey, CA