2008 Woodie Awards
Judgements on a Name
Suha Diab
Issue date: 3/11/08 Section: Opinion
Deedrika, Sajida, Jose, Ashleigh, Tuyet-Nhi. What's the meaning behind your name? One of the biggest issues that we have in America today is racism. But does racism just stop at what you look like and where you are from? Or is there more to it?
I was watching the "Tyra Banks Show" with my sisters. Her shows always interest me and the topic that was being discussed that day was a real eye opener.
Banks had a group of adults on that day to make racial judgments based on people's first names. I didn't think people could be so stereotypical when it comes to just a name. Well sadly many are guilty of this act.
Many people tend to judge others before they get to know them and sometimes even before they get to see what they look like. I have never understood how anyone can judge someone simply on their name.
The five names I mentioned above were names of five children that Banks had on her show. She put the group of adults on a panel and they were given one of the five names from above. One at a time she had them make racial judgments on all of them.
They spoke their minds about how they felt this person was like and what they looked like. The things that were said were absolutely jaw dropping.
Living in America, many of us can't help but think racially. It's like a reflex; we hear a certain name and assume what race they are. However, and
I think I speak for many when I say; there are millions of people in this world who do have unique and unusual names. So how does having a certain name keep us from living our lives?
Imagine putting the names Deedrika or Jose on a job or college application, what are the chances that these two people get that job or get into that school? I believe the answer would be very little. Why? Because according to the group of adults on Banks show, these names sound like a "ghetto" black woman and a man who is probably a bus boy or someone who sells drugs.
Please keep in mind this is all just based off their first names. I found the worst thing to be that this racial judgment about the name Jose came from a Hispanic woman. How many people can actually say that this isn't what they thought of when they first heard these two names? Be honest with yourself.
I was watching the "Tyra Banks Show" with my sisters. Her shows always interest me and the topic that was being discussed that day was a real eye opener.
Banks had a group of adults on that day to make racial judgments based on people's first names. I didn't think people could be so stereotypical when it comes to just a name. Well sadly many are guilty of this act.
Many people tend to judge others before they get to know them and sometimes even before they get to see what they look like. I have never understood how anyone can judge someone simply on their name.
The five names I mentioned above were names of five children that Banks had on her show. She put the group of adults on a panel and they were given one of the five names from above. One at a time she had them make racial judgments on all of them.
They spoke their minds about how they felt this person was like and what they looked like. The things that were said were absolutely jaw dropping.
Living in America, many of us can't help but think racially. It's like a reflex; we hear a certain name and assume what race they are. However, and
I think I speak for many when I say; there are millions of people in this world who do have unique and unusual names. So how does having a certain name keep us from living our lives?
Imagine putting the names Deedrika or Jose on a job or college application, what are the chances that these two people get that job or get into that school? I believe the answer would be very little. Why? Because according to the group of adults on Banks show, these names sound like a "ghetto" black woman and a man who is probably a bus boy or someone who sells drugs.
Please keep in mind this is all just based off their first names. I found the worst thing to be that this racial judgment about the name Jose came from a Hispanic woman. How many people can actually say that this isn't what they thought of when they first heard these two names? Be honest with yourself.
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