Aishwarya Arjunan, MS, MPH, CGC, CPH; Shreshtha Garg, MS, CGC
When you meet someone, what is the first thing you tell them about yourself? When you go to the waiting room to find a patient, hop on a Zoom call with a new team member, or meet someone at a networking event, what fact about yourself do you consider indisputable and unchangeable?
Oh, that’s hard to say. Do you have a nickname? Can I call you something else?
People of color whose cultures deviate from the “mainstream” often don’t get the chance to have an indisputable, unchangeable identity. Because our names are “unusual” for the country we are living in, our names are seemingly up for debate — and erasure. We are often asked to change the very thing about ourselves that makes us who we are. Taking a moment to learn the correct pronunciation of someone’s name signifies worth and value for the person you are meeting.
For many cultures, names represent heritage. A name is chosen after careful deliberation for its meaning, its identity within the cultural subgroup, and its impact on the child’s future. Aishwarya means prosperity, and Shreshtha means pinnacle. The desire to shorten or change our names disregards their meaning, effort, and identity. When we do this to our colleagues, we disregard a part of them.
Many of our non-white peers and students have faced similar struggles. The right to one’s identity should not be exhausting, disheartening, and silencing. As we fight for diversity within our workforce, we should be fighting for that diversity to shine, to exist as it is, and to impact us in positive ways. We can start with a name.
Many within the profession have spent time, energy, and resources toward diversity, inclusion, and equity efforts for incoming genetic counselors. Once we achieve that diversity, what steps are we taking to ensure the experience of our colleagues, students, and patients isn’t marred with microaggressions, racism, and exclusionary behavior? Are we making those around us feel welcome as they are?
Because our names are "unusual” for the country we are living in, our names are seemingly up for debate — and erasure. We are often asked to change the very thing about ourselves that makes us who we are.
True allyship can come by simply learning, using, and teaching others someone’s proper name. Standing up for someone’s identity by correcting an incorrect use or shortening of someone’s name in their absence is allyship. Dr. Kimberly Manning (@gradydoctor) suggests these four easy questions to establish the respect that each name deserves.
The desire to shorten or change our names disregards their meaning, effort, and identity. When we do this to our colleagues, we disregard a part of them.
- What is your name?
- How is it pronounced?
- What do you prefer to be called?
- Is there something you do not want to be called?
Yes, it may be difficult for you to pronounce names from an unfamiliar language. Yes, it may require some effort or practice on your part. Yes, you may make mistakes before you get it right. We urge you to question whether you find this a worthwhile practice, and if not — why not? Please use your empathy and step into the shoes of those who find themselves constantly battling for the right to choose their identity.
Aishwarya Arjunan, MS, MPH, CGC, CPH Aishwarya Arjunan, MS, MPH, CGC, CPH, is the Clinical Product Specialist for Carrier Screening at Myriad Women’s Health where she manages all clinical aspects of the Foresight Carrier Screen. She is a proud first-generation Indian American who served as the co-chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Task Force and is an incoming Director At Large on the NSGC Board.
Shreshtha Garg, MS, CGC is an Assistant Professor at Northwestern University, where she works in the Graduate Program in Genetic Counseling. She has previously worked in clinical, laboratory, and payor spaces. She immigrated to the United States from India at the age of 13.