"Preferred" Names Are Names | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

"Preferred" Names Are Names

You're not "respecting the parent's wishes"; you're a jerk.

86
"Preferred" Names Are Names

Names are important. They're as much a part of our identity as our face, or our voice. Ever since I was little, I had two names; one, my first name, that I've used on official documents and default to in legal settings. The other one is the one that's on my Facebook, my Instagram, and even the one I publish under! It's my preferred name, the one that I want people to call me, even if I do respond to my first name. I choose to go by Greer because it's a part of me as much as any other memory I have is a part of me. It's the name that I prefer.

Last year, I had a professor that simply never bothered to learn my preferred name -- Greer -- and instead insisted on calling me Hunter. I was hurt, shocked, and offended that he would call me by a name that wasn't the one I chose. It took me until over the summer to realize: this is what our transgender friends go through on a consistent basis, and their experiences deserve to be validated. We have a right and an obligation to protect their wants and needs. Birth/Dead names are beyond unimportant.

As a cisgender woman, I'm able to say this safely and comfortably, and can politely correct people who use the wrong name because my first name doesn't cause any dysphoria. I'm not scared to remind belligerent professors who don't seem to get the clue. I'm not fearful that I'll be attacked for correcting people. People don't attack me for using my preferred name because they don't see any reason to because I'm not different than them.

That's. Messed. Up.

Transgender people are real. They're living in every corner of our nation, and our world. And they're scared. They're scared that by reinforcing their preferred name, they'll be attacked, ostracized, or killed. Can you even begin to imagine being murdered because some idiot decided they knew your own identity better than you? Their names are their names, regardless of what name they were born with. Wake up and smell the revolution, people! When someone introduces themselves with their name, accept it, point blank. If they change their name throughout the time that you know them, respect their decisions and start correcting yourself and others.

My chosen name is no more important because I am cisgender. If you're willing to call me Greer, but won't call my friend by their preferred name, you're not "respecting the parents wishes". You're a hypocrite and a jerk, point blank. Respect people's names, or you risk invalidating their very existence.

A/N: Thank you to Lark for helping me write and edit this.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

179254
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

6417
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

451936
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

22978
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments