Dear Facebook, I would be lying if I said that I wasnt embarrassed to feel as though I have been manipulated into a situation which would warrant me making the following statement. Our world right now is crippled by so many pressing issues like violence, war, hunger, poverty and bigotry, so that I should have to stand up and ask to have my name given back to me feels small in scale, but significant all the same. Like so many others who have been unfairly targeted by a policy that you only recently decided to enforce... selectively, I might add, my name, the very title I am addressed by in my personal life and my work life, has been stripped of me. Worse, I feel as though this reaction to me and my name has invoked this as though I have committed some crime or done something wrong... or that Im simply not good enough to be a part of your service As I am. You are not familiar with me, my life, and as any American, I am trusted to self-represent, and I do so with great pride. There is nothing of my person I am trying to hide, just simply expressing my identity - as I prefer - to the general public. I do not believe Facebook represents any Government authority, nor does it represent any legal jurisdiction with the power to dictate how I should identify myself to my friends, colleagues and peers- and even my family. It should be my presumed liberty to express my person as I see appropriate, online, in a public forum, or anywhere I wish to be addressed by name. And yet, on perhaps the worlds biggest website, I am not allowed to be me; only the name assigned me at birth, which does not encompass my complete or whole identity. I have, many times, fought for the rights of people who are oppressed by corporations, companies and politics when they are threatened. I do not understand why you, of all companies, have elected to stand in an oppressive position which requires I fight, now, for my own rights to my very identity. A very personal, very important part of me. Scribbling me out and erasing my 20 year long existence is what youve done. Youve attempted to re-write my history and demand I hand you over my name as though it is yours for the taking, to strip of me and make me vulnerable. I ask you, what harm has my name caused you? What loss? What would you ask of me that would require my birth certificate or social security number? How does my participation here, with friends, family and peers, negatively impact the performance of your service, and how will taking my name from me improve it? I feel bullied, and I feel embarrassed. At my age. I am once again having to negotiate my identity. Ask for permission to be who I am. And all to have the privilege of using your service which has positioned itself as the very epicenter of internet connectivity. Your place on the world wide web is formidable, and I will not be leaving as I use this service to stay in touch with people I care about and enjoy, but I will do so regrettably as I dont believe a monolithic dotcom such as yourself should possess the power to deny people their right to self-identify and to conform to your standard of acceptability. Once again, 20 years later, I will have to endure questions about my appearance, profession and status - and why my name is Zachary... well, because you have chosen my name for me... you have decided how I will appear in public... in spite of me. For the minorities now being suspended, asked to provide birth names, I hope you will extend some some sympathy for the human condition. You have already made it clear Gender is fluid- not one or the other - by allowing various representations here... but to rob these very people, and me, of our name seems a bit like a backhanded act. Somehow, one Im sure the conservatives and republicans will love you for. The rest of us remain burdened by these extreme acts, denying us our very names. While i continue to use Facebook under this name, I will eagerly await the arrival of the next social network. One that understands that people across the spectrum deserve to be represented as they choose, not as they are forced.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 19:41:37 +0000
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