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When You’re Named Isis for the Goddess, Not the Terror Group When You’re Named Isis for the Goddess, Not the Terror Group
(about 9 hours later)
A woman’s Facebook account was disabled. A bookstore was vandalized. And one company, moved by the attacks on Paris, just doesn’t want the association anymore.A woman’s Facebook account was disabled. A bookstore was vandalized. And one company, moved by the attacks on Paris, just doesn’t want the association anymore.
While the name Isis has become synonymous with a terrorist organization, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, it is also the name of a well-known Egyptian goddess.While the name Isis has become synonymous with a terrorist organization, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, it is also the name of a well-known Egyptian goddess.
Many women are named Isis, including 396 babies born in the United States last year.Many women are named Isis, including 396 babies born in the United States last year.
For the world’s many Isises, each act of horror carried out by the Islamic State has been accompanied by the unsettling and repeated use of their name in news reports. An online petitioner has even gathered almost 57,000 supporters to call on the news media to stop using the acronym.For the world’s many Isises, each act of horror carried out by the Islamic State has been accompanied by the unsettling and repeated use of their name in news reports. An online petitioner has even gathered almost 57,000 supporters to call on the news media to stop using the acronym.
“I named my daughter Isis because it’s strong and meaningful,” wrote one commenter on the petition, Shani Allman of Florida. “To have it degraded and have her jeopardized by the media’s insensitivity is completely disturbing.”“I named my daughter Isis because it’s strong and meaningful,” wrote one commenter on the petition, Shani Allman of Florida. “To have it degraded and have her jeopardized by the media’s insensitivity is completely disturbing.”
A woman in Britain wrote that her 7-year-old daughter, who was named after the goddess, went to bed crying “because people were being horrible to her about her name.”A woman in Britain wrote that her 7-year-old daughter, who was named after the goddess, went to bed crying “because people were being horrible to her about her name.”
Companies called Isis have been forced to confront how attached they are to the name. Isis was once the name of a mobile payment technology and a new condo building in Florida. They both changed their names last year. Isis Pharmaceuticals, a California biotech company founded in 1989, told CNN it is now discussing the same move.Companies called Isis have been forced to confront how attached they are to the name. Isis was once the name of a mobile payment technology and a new condo building in Florida. They both changed their names last year. Isis Pharmaceuticals, a California biotech company founded in 1989, told CNN it is now discussing the same move.
Part of the River Thames in Britain remains known by the name, as does a feminist club at Fordham University and the Labrador in “Downton Abbey.” The dog has been killed off from the show — though not because of its name. (Fans of comics and 1970s television may recall it as the name of a superhero.) Part of the River Thames in Britain remains known by the name, as does a feminist club at Fordham University and the Labrador in “Downton Abbey.” The dog has been killed off from the show — though not because of its name. The cartoon “Archer” also had to adjust the name of its spy agency. (Fans of comics and 1970s television may recall Isis as the name of a superhero.)
On Tuesday, Isis Books & Gifts, a Colorado store that was vandalized this week, pleaded in a Facebook post: “Please help us educate the media and your family and friends to call the terrorists by a more correct name — Daesh — not Islamic State, not ISIS, not ISIL.”On Tuesday, Isis Books & Gifts, a Colorado store that was vandalized this week, pleaded in a Facebook post: “Please help us educate the media and your family and friends to call the terrorists by a more correct name — Daesh — not Islamic State, not ISIS, not ISIL.”
The term Daesh — also sometimes referred to as Da’ish — has been used by officials in France since last year. It’s an acronynm of the group’s Arabic name, but it’s also favored by many people because it sounds like another Arabic word, daes, which is used as an insult.The term Daesh — also sometimes referred to as Da’ish — has been used by officials in France since last year. It’s an acronynm of the group’s Arabic name, but it’s also favored by many people because it sounds like another Arabic word, daes, which is used as an insult.
The White House most often uses ISIL to refer to the militants. It stands for Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. Both ISIS and ISIL are often shortened to just the Islamic State, and all of those names anger many Muslims who disapprove of the word Islam being in the name, and because it implies the group is a state. (The Times typically uses “Islamic State” but does sometimes use the other names in quotations and headlines.)The White House most often uses ISIL to refer to the militants. It stands for Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. Both ISIS and ISIL are often shortened to just the Islamic State, and all of those names anger many Muslims who disapprove of the word Islam being in the name, and because it implies the group is a state. (The Times typically uses “Islamic State” but does sometimes use the other names in quotations and headlines.)
But it’s the ISIS acronym that seems to be causing the most problems for like-named people and organizations, with the Paris attacks now forcing them to face the issue anew.But it’s the ISIS acronym that seems to be causing the most problems for like-named people and organizations, with the Paris attacks now forcing them to face the issue anew.
For Isis Pharmaceuticals, a name change was not in consideration as recently as last year. But a company spokesman told CBS News this week that the tragedy “weighed heavily on us, and we don’t want to have that association.”For Isis Pharmaceuticals, a name change was not in consideration as recently as last year. But a company spokesman told CBS News this week that the tragedy “weighed heavily on us, and we don’t want to have that association.”
Isis Anchalee, a platform engineer based in San Francisco, suggested Tuesday on Twitter that Facebook had frozen her account because of her name.Isis Anchalee, a platform engineer based in San Francisco, suggested Tuesday on Twitter that Facebook had frozen her account because of her name.
The page was restored, with Facebook apologizing and explaining that the account had been flagged by one or more users as fake or offensive.The page was restored, with Facebook apologizing and explaining that the account had been flagged by one or more users as fake or offensive.
Isis Beckwith, a 29-year-old college student and Navy veteran in Washington, says she’s gotten a lot of double-takes, chuckles and distasteful jokes, along with being asked whether she’s thought about changing her name. (She has not).Isis Beckwith, a 29-year-old college student and Navy veteran in Washington, says she’s gotten a lot of double-takes, chuckles and distasteful jokes, along with being asked whether she’s thought about changing her name. (She has not).
“My father just thinks it’s a shame that the name has been tarnished with the association. I still think it’s beautiful,” wrote Ms. Beckwith, who was named after the Egyptian goddess, in an interview over Facebook Messenger.“My father just thinks it’s a shame that the name has been tarnished with the association. I still think it’s beautiful,” wrote Ms. Beckwith, who was named after the Egyptian goddess, in an interview over Facebook Messenger.
Ms. Beckwith says the good “definitely outweighs the bad” with the remarks she gets about her name. “I would just like others to think twice about what they are about to say,” she wrote. “It’s just starting to get old.”Ms. Beckwith says the good “definitely outweighs the bad” with the remarks she gets about her name. “I would just like others to think twice about what they are about to say,” she wrote. “It’s just starting to get old.”