The racist and sexist struggle many black women face because of their names
When it comes to stereotyping others, it takes no more than a name. That goes double for non-Anglophile names that carry a strong cultural currency, like Cashmoneya, TraNequa or Shaniqua.
In in his upcoming documentary, Searching for Shaniqua, filmmaker Phill Branch uncovers the debilitating effect one’s name (including the three listed above) can have on his or her life. Watch the emotional trailer.
I’m an Australian white girl named Keshona. Keshona is a Native American name. I love my name, I think it’s beautiful and I mourn for the injustices that Native Americans face. Constantly, almost DAILY I have other white people but on a ‘sassy black woman’ voice and call me Shaniqua and other names that actual black women struggle with rasict and sexist remarka because of.
This hardly effects me personally because I am not a WoC. But please for the love of god do not refer to my name as that of a ‘sassy black woman’ or a ‘black prostitute’ because IT IS WRONG AND UNFAIR TO WOMEN OF COLOUR AND NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN. DO NOT DO IT.
preach