Comments on: No, my name is not Sophia Qurtlebaum

By: Junshien

Junshien — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:49:53 +0000

Hi! I have nothing useful to add, other than I quite enjoyed this post. =D

By: sophia

sophia — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:52:26 +0000

twochicksnest, I agree that the last name is used as an indicator for a lot of people to position themselves with everyone else. It’s a shock to their system when that indicator doesn’t coincide with what they see (race/ethnicity) so they get very confused. This happens to both Caucasians and Asians alike. As for our future biracial children, I’m hoping to be able to keep my mom’s Chinese last name in their middle names. That way, they would be able to keep both since they’re from both backgrounds. It does help to get your point of view on this. Thank you!

By: twochicksnest

twochicksnest — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:30:07 +0000

I think you raise a really interesting perspective that I haven’t really seen anyone else blog about. Changing your name can have a big impact on how others perceive your identity, especially if your perceived race or ethnicity changes with your name. I’m also curious what it’s like from a Caucasian Susan Jones to become a Susan Chen via marriage, but that’s obviously not something that you can speak to I am biracial and changed my name from my father’s Caucasian last name to my mother’s Asian last name as an adult. With either name people have their reactions about what they think I am based on what my name is. For you and other future mothers of biracial children, I think your experience gives you a little peak into what that experience might be like for your kids who will be like me in that regard.