Abstract

In the Researched Critical Analysis essay, we were tasked with finding a piece of media relating to language or literacy and analyzing it by critiquing it using research and information from class.

Cover Letter

Upon receiving the prompt for this assignment, I knew I wanted to talk about non-Anglo names and how they impact minority groups. When I found Brown’s comment, I began doing more research into how Anglo names impact the East Asian community in particular, and I stumbled across Zhao’s study demonstrating the consequences of having an ethnic name in a society built for Caucasians. In addition, I’ve only ever had these conversations with other Asian-Americans, where terms like “model minority” and “Anglo names” are fairly common, and so in writing this paper for a more general, unaware audience, I was forced to consider how best to explain these concepts.

In addition, I had to consider my own experience as someone with a Chinese name, making sure that I conveyed that information in the paper without sacrificing my attempted disinterested take on the subject. Ultimately, I know that my personal experiences colored my writing, but I made the effort to cite sources and back up my stance with factual information.

Introduction

In 2009, a representative from the Organization of Chinese Americans came to the Texas House of Representatives. This man, named Ramey Ko, spoke on behalf of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean immigrants, stating that they were facing issues with identification, as many of them have traditional names in their native languages as well as English names. One speaker, the Republican representative Betty Brown, said in response, “Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese — I understand it’s a rather difficult language — do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?” The backlash was immense, and though Brown initially defended herself by saying that she was merely suggesting a practical solution, she eventually apologized for her comments. Her hesitancy to apologize, however, speaks volumes about her true beliefs.

The Impact of Names

At first glance, Brown’s comment seems innocent, and almost even fair. It was only said in response to real issues; objectively, having traditional East Asian names was causing issues that were keeping that group from participating fully into society, and disenfranchising them based on a factor related to their racial background. If having American names could fix these problems, why shouldn’t these immigrants just do that?

The problem with this “solution” is that it addresses a symptom of a problem, and not the problem itself. The problem Ko brought up was not their Asian names, it was the fact that many Asian-Americans have two names: their traditional name and their “American” name. In theory, Ko’s complaint would be resolved if none of them selected an American name, but it’s not surprising why Anglo names are so common. In a study done by Xian Zhao, a Chinese immigrant, Zhao proved what most Asian-Americans and other ethnic minorities know to be true: your name impacts how people perceive you and act around you. This goes beyond simple stereotyping; in Zhao’s study, he presented people with the classic trolley problem, but with a twist. The 5 people on the initial track were given names and identities, either white (Alex, Michael, Dan, Kevin, and Jonathan), Asian with Anglo names (the same as in the previous condition) or Asian with Asian names (Qin, Yunchen, Ying, Jian, and Mingxuan). The singular person on the diverging track was either white (Mark), Asian (Xiang), or Asian with an Anglo name (Mark). The results revealed that participants were much more likely to sacrifice the one if they were Asian, and even more so if they had an Asian name, no matter who was on the original track. Even in a hypothetical, having a non-white name put people at a disadvantage, and it’s easy to see why adopting an Anglo name has become so common.

Examples of minorities taking up Anglo names are abundant throughout history. In our modern day, celebrities like Chloe Bennet (Chloe Yang) and Uzo Aduba (Uzoamaka Nwanneka Aduba) have discussed how a culture of racism and bullying led each to seriously consider changing their names. In Bennet’s case, she said that acting opportunities were severely limited when they saw her name, so she legally changed it to a white-sounding name. In Aduba’s case, she said in an interview that she was so self-conscious of her foreign sounding name as a child that she wanted to change it to something white, like Zoe, but her mother stopped her. Historical examples are available as well, including the figure commonly known as Pocahontas. Her real name was Amonute, but upon being taken to Europe and married to Englishman John Rolfe, they changed her name to Rebecca Rolfe on her behalf.

Names, however, are important. They are core to our personal identity and, especially in the case of native-language names, our culture. Many cultures grant names special importance, including East Asian cultures. My mother gave me a Chinese name, even if it never appeared on any legal documents, because she said it was a part of me, and I wouldn’t be who I am without it. My Chinese name, Lin Shu Ting, is not just a fun fact about me. Each part of it comes from somewhere in our long family history, just like taking a family surname or being named after a grandparent. Asking someone to give up their real name is asking them to give up a part of who they are.

The Model Minority

In spite of how important cultural names are, many with them still choose a secondary Anglo name, or a name more common in the English language. Anglo names primarily exist because minorities have a hard time with mispronunciation, bullying, prejudice, and racism. However, adopting a white name does not erase the reason why these issues exist. Changing names may put off the racism that person experiences for a bit, but it does nothing to affect the root causes of that racism. When someone changes their name because having an Anglo name is easier for everyone, they validate the pressure applied by a Caucasian-run society. This validation is deeply entwined with the model minority myth, which is the stereotype that Asian-Americans are the “ideal” minority. Today, it manifests in the various Asian stereotypes, including being exceptionally smart and studious and the submissive Asian woman. The myth traces its roots back to a period of Asian immigration in the 20th century when only the most educated and skilled candidates were allowed into the country. When a nation only allows in educated, skilled Asians, the stereotype that all Asians are educated and skilled naturally arises.

Just like Brown’s comment, the model minority myth seems harmless at first; if people believe that this group is hardworking and helpful, is that really so bad? Unfortunately, it has much deeper dangers, especially in relation to other minorities. At the core, what this myth does is paint other minorities in a worse light—if East Asian immigrants can be so well-behaved and assimilated, why can’t South Asians, blacks, Latinxs, etc.?—and make it harder for real East Asians to succeed. Studies have shown that, because they are perceived as naturally more capable, Asian students may be less likely to receive help from a teacher. While the myth might imply that Asians are at the top of the nation, East Asians actually tend to fall into the lowest income bracket, yet receive no help due to their perceived superior capability.

Conclusion

To tie this all back to Brown’s comment, it is tapping into a dark history of assimilation to assume that an ethnic group, especially East Asian in origin, should sacrifice their culture for the sake of a system they do not control nor benefit from. Brown’s comment was not just a simple suggestion to change names, she posed it as an alternative to “everyone here having to learn Chinese,” a point which no one brought up. By exaggerating how hard it is to learn a simple name and adjust a system, Brown implies that respecting other cultures is too much work.

It is entirely possible, and the most likely explanation, that Brown did not see her comment as racist. Few microaggressions come off as overtly bigoted, but given the context of the system and society that led Brown to downplay such a comment, it reveals a dark truth about our culture that sees whiteness as the default and expects outliers to fall in line. This is not to say that immigrants should never adopt Anglo names; in many cases, choosing an Anglo name is a necessity, and life without one can be difficult for someone living in the U.S.. The phenomenon of Anglo names and the bigotry behind it is not the fault of minorities for using these names, it is the fault of the system for forcing them into a culture that mandates they have them.

Works Cited

Zhao, Xian. “Your Name Is Your Lifesaver: Anglicization of Names and Moral Dilemmas in a Trilogy of Transportation Accidents.” University of Kansas, 2018.

Ratcliffe, R.G.. “Texas lawmaker suggests Asians adopt easier names.” Houston Chronicle, 2009.