I've been here in White Girl With Asian Husband Land for close to 8 years now, and spent about half of that helping to run the world's most successful website for our kind, which had, before its demise, over 20,000 members. (Yeah... didn't know that about me, did you? It's true. That's not what I'm here to discuss, though.) Anyhow, over the course of all that time and experience, I've made a few observations, as one may imagine. Today, I'm just going to talk about one of them, but it's a really freakin important one, so listen up, ESPECIALLY if you haven't reproduced yet.
I've just got to say it. WHAT THE FCUK is up with the names?!! I'm not talking about ethnic names (obviously, considering I'm Chaiyo's mom), or old school uncommon names (again, obviously, since I'm also Orren's mom), or even stupid names straight off the Top 20 Most Popular names list. No, I don't have a problem with any of that. What I have noticed that is disturbing, though, is that at least half the white girls I know who have babies by an Asian man, whether he's their husband, their boyfriend, or some random guy they met in a bar 9 months ago, name their kids the worst things. I'm talking straight-up dog names.
Is this some kind of backlash against the pushing that so many Asian parents are notorious for doing so that their kids succeed at all costs? Admittedly, the Asian guys who end up with white wives are usually the rebellious sort. Those who aren't, in overwhelming numbers, end up with someone of their own ethnicity, many times hand picked by family (Don't believe me? I'll show you Thak's buddy's wedding pictures from a few months ago. That was special.) Let's also not forget that a significant number of white girls do experience some backlash from their families, and maybe even friends, when they date or marry outside their race, so having an Asian husband does require some degree of rebellion in some cases (not mine, but others). Anyhow, maybe this trend toward these horrible names, is just another way for these already somewhat rebellious people to be even more rebellious. Maybe naming your kid something like Blaze, or Maverick, or Stryker is just the piece de resistance in their gigantic "up yours!" to their traditional families.
Maybe, in some cases, there's not rebellion in it after all. Another thing I've noticed about the Asian guy white girl crowd is that a great many of them see themselves as very progressive. Maybe they think that regular human names are just so last generation, and went out of style with miscegenation laws and segregated high schools. Apparently, many celebrities have gotten on this crazy name bandwagon, too... Maybe these people think they're just doing like their favorite celebrities by naming their kids crazy things.
I just wonder what they expect to accomplish by this. I can tell you why my kids have the names they have. Both of my boys have an English name and a Thai name. Orren's English name is Orren, and his Thai name is Kiet. Chaiyo's Thai name is Chaiyo, and his English name is David. It was important to Thak that his kids have Thai names, and I think that's understandable, and makes sense, because their names represent their heritage. (Although I'm really glad we don't plan on more kids, because while we have an awesome girl name picked out, Thai boys' names are very difficult, and the next son would definitely end up Thaksin Jr, for lack of other half decent options. In general, though, I am very supportive of ethnic naming. I like it. I think it's a way to sort of think outside the box, while still giving the kid a respectable name.
This other crap, though, I just want to ask these parents what they were thinking. Put your child's name behind the title "Senator", and see if it makes a damned bit of sense. Orren and Chaiyo are as convincing in the Senate chambers as they are on the playground. Is Blaze?
Think before you name. I have no idea why this is so common in Asian Guy White Girl Land, but it is. I will just say, there is a definitive line that stands between creative and idiotic. It is best to make sure you are standing on the side you think you are.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment