I was adopted at the age of two into a family. Every family member had an idea of what they wanted to name me so my father grabbed a name book and gave me the first name on the list. They kept a part of my adoption agency name as a middle name. Ethnically, I have a Jewish, Asian, Scandinavian name. My name doesn't connect to the way I look. I had a college professor that said he looked over the roster before class and saw my name and expected to see a tall Nord... He remembered me 20 years later because I was so very different than expectations. My name is familiar enough that it is not usual but it is also rare enough that you are not likely to know many Aaron's. Names of students of different cultures may be difficult to pronounciate and spell. They may be called upon less or viewed differently because of.
It is important that we listen to people and reserve judgment. For me, having a eurocentric name makes me feel like I fit in. I know others from Asia self-select Euroamerican names because they want to fit in. Yes, there is a fascinating and interesting conversation about what it means to fit in and whether it is morally acceptable to fit in but who decides? There is a new professor here on the campus. She introduces herself with her full name of Suriarti but requests to be called Sue. She finds it frustrating because everyone is calling her Suriarti. Everyone has been hearing about how hurtful it has been for ethnic students to have their names appropriated or mispronounced so in an effort to be sensitive they call her Suriarti, but she has been known by friends and peers as Sue...even in her native country of Singapore. Understanding through conversations and perspectives are great, judgements are not.
It is important that we listen to people and reserve judgment. For me, having a eurocentric name makes me feel like I fit in. I know others from Asia self-select Euroamerican names because they want to fit in. Yes, there is a fascinating and interesting conversation about what it means to fit in and whether it is morally acceptable to fit in but who decides? There is a new professor here on the campus. She introduces herself with her full name of Suriarti but requests to be called Sue. She finds it frustrating because everyone is calling her Suriarti. Everyone has been hearing about how hurtful it has been for ethnic students to have their names appropriated or mispronounced so in an effort to be sensitive they call her Suriarti, but she has been known by friends and peers as Sue...even in her native country of Singapore. Understanding through conversations and perspectives are great, judgements are not.