candidate for Vice President, Harris is also the first candidate with an identifiably Indian name. There have been other South Asian-American politicians on the national stage, namely former Governor and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, but their anglicized names weren’t fodder for insult. Apparently, you can’t make fun of names like Bobby or Nikki, but Kamala is seemingly fair game.
Perdue’s words struck a familiar chord in me. All my life, I’ve heard Americans like him either unable orto pronounce my name properly. But surprisingly, I also recognized myself in Sen. Perdue’s “I don’t know whatever.” Over the years, I’ve said something similar to several people when they ask how to pronounce my name properly. Tied up in my willingness to let people mispronounce my name was not just my desire to belong, but the assumption that I didn't just because of who I am.
The rest of the year, a fellow kindergartner whose name is long forgotten reminded me at every turn, “Mrs. Noble didn’t even introduce you, you’re not supposed to be here.” Timid and confused, all I did in response was turn my face in denial. He was just being a bratty kindergartener but his words rang in my head. Thinking back, what I wanted to say is “You’re wrong, I’m supposed to be here.” But it caught in my throat, and sometimes still does.
People mispronouncing my name triggered the same feelings in me as that classmate in kindergarten telling me I’m not supposed to be here. It made me feel like an outsider, like I’m so different my very name couldn't be understood. Somewhere along the way, I came to believe that my nametoo hard to say correctly, and being flexible wasn’t an option — it became the only option. Mispronunciation felt like a small price to pay when your family came here for a better life. Or so I thought.
mehargujral_
mehargujral_ KAM-ala. See, if you hadn't made a big deal about it, no one would be mocking her. If she had said, I'm sorry, my name is pronounced this way, everyone would have called her that. But a very politicized effort was made to smear anyone who said her name wrong. She invited this.
mehargujral_ Yes. But also: fuck that cop!
mehargujral_ Mehar!! this is so cool to see this on my TL! congratulations on the article + publication!! ✨
What about assigning trans inmates to the wrong gender-sorted prison settings and getting some of them killed? Respectful? 🤔🤔🤔
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