“It doesn’t seem like your name is Shaniqua, but is that your real name?”
This is a common reaction when introducing yourself. As a child, I thought I simply had trouble saying my name, but by the time I was a teenager, I realized the problem was deeper. Mispronunciations turned into judgments, and suddenly my name took on a weight I never wanted.
By the time I got to college, there was no longer any ambiguity about how people felt about my name. I’ve often been told that I look like Ashley or that I don’t look like Shaniqua at all. While I was running for president of the Black Student Movement, students made derogatory comments about me. The one that cut the deepest was, “And, of course, her name is Shaniqua.”
One said that her ex-boyfriend’s mother was worried about who he was dating because of my name, but that sharing my accomplishments made her feel better.
Although the message was not directly spoken, the underlying sentiment was clear. The stereotypes attached to my name were too great to ignore. Personal experience is not the only proof of this. If you look up “Shaniqua” in Urban Dictionary, you’ll find definitions like “a common name used to ridicule or describe an inner-city black woman.” These harmful caricatures turn the name Shaniqua into a punchline, a “safe” container for racial judgment.
This isn’t just unpleasant. It has real-world consequences.
Studies have shown that job seekers with “ethnic” names like mine receive more phone calls than those with “British” names, even if they have the same resume. We know it’s unlikely. Name-based discrimination like this not only perpetuates racist tropes, but also impacts our professional, social, and emotional well-being.
Which brings me to far-right provocateur Laura Loomer. He recently called prominent Black women such as Vice President Kamala Harris, New York State Attorney General Letitia James, and Fulton County (Ga.) District Attorney Fannie Willis “the little voices of DEI Shanika.” Worthless DEI shanicus. ” Loomer’s statement is an insult steeped in both sexism and racism, and delegitimizes the accomplishments of women by suggesting they were hired solely to fill diversity quotas. The purpose is
What’s the message? These women are unqualified, too loud, and “too black” to deserve their place.
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There’s nothing new about Laura Loomer’s racist rant
What Loomer is doing is textbook racism, hidden behind a façade of political criticism. It’s no coincidence that Republicans frequently mispronounce Harris’ name or that Donald Trump questions his biracial identity as a black and South Asian American. By mocking her name, they weaponize her identity and exploit the fears and prejudices of their constituency.
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Mr. Loomer’s racism is clear, but discrimination by name goes beyond right-wing agitators. Quiet, subtle judgments about names like mine (Shaniqua) are not limited to extremists. I have friends, colleagues, and mentors who have negative reactions to my name—people who consider themselves progressive. It’s not just openly racists who participate in name discrimination, but also people who should know better.
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Ethnic names have an impact on people across races and cultures. Asian Americans often adopt Anglicized names to avoid discrimination from others. Changing one’s name represents a survival strategy, a way to minimize prejudice and bias tied to one’s identity.
However, the issue is not just about the names of black people and people of color. The problem lies in a society that tolerates and perpetuates this form of racism. Although we often hear that racism today is not as overt as it was in the past, name-based discrimination is one type of “silent” racism that still exists. We allow names to become proxies for race, class, and background in ways that harm marginalized communities.
Laura Loomer will never change, and I don’t expect her to change. But so should the rest of us. We must stop tolerating this type of discrimination, even if it is subtle or from those closest to us. Whether it’s a casual joke or an awkward comment, name-based racism and sexism must end. Our name is part of who we are. They deserve respect, not ridicule.
Prejudice doesn’t end in your favor, and even household names like Susan may someday be subject to the same prejudice.
We can and must do better.
Shaniqua McClendon has worked in politics for over 10 years and is currently the Political Director at Crooked Media.