My name is Flavia Dzodan. I live in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. I am a writer, an activist and ideas instigator who bases her political affiliations, activism, and work on the rights of minorities and immigrants living in Europe.[…]
I write under my government name because I wish to give visibility to the realities of being a minority and an immigrant in an environment that is growing increasingly hostile to diversity and giving preeminence to outdated notions of nationalism and xenophobia. I have the privilege of writing under my government name because I am a documented, legal resident of the country I live in. However, this privilege is not awarded to everyone.
My contribution to the My Name is Me campaign, supporting your freedom to choose the name you use on social networks and other online services.
For those who might not be aware, the reasons behind My Name is Me:
“My Name Is Me” is about having the freedom to be yourself online. We want people to be able to identify themselves as they wish, rather than being forced to choose names by social networking websites and other online service providers.
Websites such as Facebook and Google+ ask you to use a name that conforms to a certain standard. Though their policies vary, what they would like you to use is the name that appears on the ID in your wallet, your employer’s records, or on the letters your bank sends you. They don’t understand that many people go by other names, for a wide variety of reasons.
Read the rest of my statement and why I support this initiative.
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