Names and Racism?

[poppy-dust_addict]

Okay, I found this wonderful episode of Tyra that talks about names and its association with race.

Part one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-3t42XfjRA&feature=related

part two:
http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=uif9bDbwjy8

Part Three;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7MoJM1vM74&NR=1

part four:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIa9aY4c9lo&feature=related


So, I want to ask:
Have any of you ever been judged by your name?
Do you feel racism extends to names?
What is your opinion on what the pannel said?
Do you believe that Ethnic sounding names really do put people at a disadvantage?
Do you think this kind of talk premotes racism or brings unspoken sterotypes to light?  

[Britomartis-the-Valiant]

I was not able to watch them all (I'll try again later), but that is pretty shocking. I was surprised by what the people said. They're from a city with diverse inhabitants after all. Perhaps the area where I live is just really relaxed about these sorts of things, but all the same.

What surprised me the most was how many of them spoke badly of their own ethnicity/"race."  

[lili of the lamplight]

Unfortunately, I can't watch the Youtube bits...

Names and racism (or at least perceptions of ethnic identity)... Yes, there's definately a connection in some situations. I have relatives who've changed their names (from something very middle-eastern to something generic) to have an easier time getting hired in certain fields. Most people in my family are careful to give their children "generic" first names, although they sometimes use something ethnic for the middle name.  

[Britomartis-the-Valiant]

In watching the parts I missed, I wondered what sort of reaction people would have had if my parents had chosen the other name for me which was more ethnic. I barely escaped being named Heidi, a stereotypically Swiss name. Most people would probably think of the main character in the children's book bearing that name. Hmmm. . .  

[Verderbnis]

I usually make fun of those stereotypical associations in movies or computer games, it just shows that the people who made the movie have no clue about the culture they intended to show.

Really, it depends on you how you react on stereotypes.

But mainly it's really just plain boring stupidity...  

[PiercedPixie2]

I think i've seen that Tyra episode biggrin

This actually reminds me of something funny, once i was talking to someone on another site, a long time ago. And he was a black guy.

I guess he didnt know i was white, and when i told him my name he was like 'Amanda? That's a white girls name!' And i was like '...i am white.'

xd

People can be so silly.
But yes, stereotypes can be made by skin and how one sounds, why not names too =/  

[Miyalara]

People always assume that because I live in South Florida I must be hispanic, the repeatedly come up to me and ask,"habla espanol?". When I tell them I'm not they immediately tell me that I need to learn their language. I don't feel I should, I think they should have to learn mine before they come to my country. I'm teaching myself languages so that when I go to that country I will be fluent enough to carry conversations...I guess people don't feel they have to do that...I would think that would be common courtesy.

I don't think racism should extend to names. Seriously, my name is purely Irish and people consider me Spanish so... I don't exactly get how that works. I mean I literally have to apologize to them for being Irish and not knowing Spanish, I don't think I should have to, I'm sorry.

I'm sure they do, and it is horrible. No one should be discriminated against because of their skin, their clothing or their name. You don't do that, it is completely wrong to do that to a person but it still goes on even as we type. It's a vicious cycle and we are going to have to be the ones to stop it.

I'm not sure if it promotes it or not but I can tell you that I hate being mistaken for something I'm not when I don't look at all like that nationality...not in the least.  

[Herb Bread]

That was interesting...

I don't believe I've ever been judged by my name.

I think to a degree racism can extend to names....because of the labels and stereotypes associated with different races and thus it carries on to the traditional names of that race.

But I think people are become less and less racist especially the younger generation, however in saying that most of those people on the panel were pretty young, which was surprising. They were asked to give their thoughts on the stereotypes associated with those names....but I didn't think they would approach it in the way that they did, especially those people who ripped into their own races... >>

I don't know if ethnic sounding names really do put people at a disadvantage. It depends on the situation I suppose and the perceptions that people carry because of their own backgrounds, experiences, lifestyle, friends, beliefs ect.

As for whether this kind of talk promotes racism, I don’t think it does but it does bring unspoken stereotypes to light, which is probably a good thing. It allows people to understand that such misconceptions exist and enables them to next time eliminate such thinking when they hear it.

This topic is actually quite interesting and makes you look in the mirror and think about your own actions towards others.

Well it certainly made me look myself in the mirror, and I'm not proud to say it, but I think I might have made judgements based on names.

So it's good to be reminded to never judge a book by its cover. : 3

We are all people, names, shades and all. So there's no real reason to judge and make silly stereotypes. That’s the reason why we get into all kinds of ugly fights.

And on a side note, I can't stand blind judgement (when you don't even know the person) based on apparent 'class' or 'social' order that cultures often tend to have, that kind of thinking is so OLD. For goodness sake we're all humans, we've got red blood and bleach white bones so don't go telling me one person is better or worse than another. @_@ It really grates on my nerves.  

[A I J I N Incubus]

愛人☆INCUBUS

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It's not necessarily racism, but people assume that because I'm named after a tree and my last name is an animal, that I must be a hippie. My mother was honestly never a hippie, but she just liked the sound of the name. Theoretically, my mom's last name is named after me. She changed her last name to fit mine. I like my name, but people assume that since it's unique that my mother or I are dirty or pretentious. It's quite annoying.

·········································································

Kishimu BEDDO ga Up Down
Boku wa konya mo Sub-marine
Kitsuku kandara yurusanai kara
Semete senaka ni gyutto senaka ni tsumetatete
Odoridashitara tomaranai kurui dashite mo kamawanai
Afuredashichau kobosanaide ne
Semete aishiteirutte aishiteirutte ie!

 

[Verderbnis]

I usually get interconnected with russians or the netherlands because of my pre and/or surname...

I don't see that as racism, I handle it a cool way. Most people have no clue about aristocracy today, so I often explain them some parts of my heritage.

Really, my family has never been such a powerful family, they originated from simple medieval farmers, becoming traders, but never "bred for power", there have been a lot of "bastards" in our family.

I usually do not give much about it, but hell awaits you if you leave the predicate. twisted

And my real first name seems odd to some people:
"Wolff" (the double f is after the german grammar from 1900), which also a historic name, derivations like "Wolfgang", "Wolfhart", "Wolfram" are somekind of honors to the also feared animal. It is also the favourite animal of my father and mine, too. It may be also a reason why I fall into animalistic behaviour sometimes. Some people still think it's fake, but they can suck my a**.

My second and call-name, is very common to my family, derivations and the name itself appear a lot of times in my family tree. But somehow some people think I am a russian because of it. I often use the russian aircraft I share the name with as nickname. I like the soviet technology somehow, so I don't see that as an insult.  

[p934]

أسْمِي نويل

My family decided to give me an "American Name" (although technically my first name is French) partly because of the stigma attached to Middle Eastern names. Sometimes I wish they hadn't, but at the same time I think it works to my benefit. People get to know me before they know anything about my background, so they don't assume anything.

الّسَلامُ عَلِيْكُم

 

[Einllikoach]

Never happened to me; in my case, it’s pretty much like this,
“What’s your name, again?”
“Stav.”
“Staav?”
“No, just Stav.”
“Starv?”
“No... Stav.”
“Is it a diminutive of something?”
“No, it’s my name.”
“What kind of name is it, anyway?”
“Israeli.”
“Um... cool. So.. um... how many Palestinians have you killed so far?”