What's in a Name? (Session #2)

A name is often considered one of the most basic elements of our personal identity, and a principal distinguishing attribute of an individual in legal and government documents. But what about if a person does not identify with their legal name and that name is never experienced as an affirming source of identity; or what about if one’s name is a constant source of mispronunciation and distortion; or what about if the association— familiar, historical, linguistic—of one’s name is not a validation of who we experience ourselves to be? This could be for reasons of gender identity; international residents who use a specific name while in the United States, or for other reasons. In this presentation, and as a way to review Gettysburg College’s recent updating of its Name Policy, we will address some of the background information and procedures to the policy, as well as introduce a general discussion on the actual complexities connected to names.

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Rebecca Barth

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