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Help[Opinions] Re: I am grumpy today, so apologies in advance
in reply to a message by New_Chloe
I have several times said that one of the reasons I dislike the name Leslie is that it makes me think of the word "lesbian." That's not the only reason I dislike it, but it's one reason.
I don't even think that's true of the general public, I think it's just me, judging by the popularity of the name, and the fact that I have never heard anyone else make the same statement.
So after reading your post, I tried to analyze why a name reminding me of "lesbian" made me dislike it. Because of course I am pro-gay rights and pro-gay marriage and had a lesbian friend I really liked, etc.
Then I realized that every time a name makes me think of a word or thing, I don't like the name. Hannah makes me think of chicken soup. (Don't ask, I don't know why!) I hate Hannah. David makes me think of potatoes and gravy. I hate David. Claire always makes me think of eclairs. I don't really care for Claire, even though I like eclairs just fine. I just don't like thinking of a word or an object every time I hear a name. So Leslie\lesbian isn't singled out. But I think that lesbian is the only non-food thing that I have a name association with!
Anyway, I think a lot of people, even though they may have nothing whatsoever against homosexuality themselves, are just being practical and thinking of the world at large, and bowing to the reality that a lot of people still do disapprove of homosexuals and that will probably never change. It's all well and good to say in theory, "I won't let people's prejudices affect my name choice" but when you are really naming your child, whom you know will have to live with the name and its associations, and you realize that you are making a big decision that will affect your child's life much more than yours, it can be a different story.
I don't even think that's true of the general public, I think it's just me, judging by the popularity of the name, and the fact that I have never heard anyone else make the same statement.
So after reading your post, I tried to analyze why a name reminding me of "lesbian" made me dislike it. Because of course I am pro-gay rights and pro-gay marriage and had a lesbian friend I really liked, etc.
Then I realized that every time a name makes me think of a word or thing, I don't like the name. Hannah makes me think of chicken soup. (Don't ask, I don't know why!) I hate Hannah. David makes me think of potatoes and gravy. I hate David. Claire always makes me think of eclairs. I don't really care for Claire, even though I like eclairs just fine. I just don't like thinking of a word or an object every time I hear a name. So Leslie\lesbian isn't singled out. But I think that lesbian is the only non-food thing that I have a name association with!
Anyway, I think a lot of people, even though they may have nothing whatsoever against homosexuality themselves, are just being practical and thinking of the world at large, and bowing to the reality that a lot of people still do disapprove of homosexuals and that will probably never change. It's all well and good to say in theory, "I won't let people's prejudices affect my name choice" but when you are really naming your child, whom you know will have to live with the name and its associations, and you realize that you are making a big decision that will affect your child's life much more than yours, it can be a different story.
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