Valiantly Me

What's the first thing that pops into your head when you meet someone new?

• Oh, I love her shoes.
• He is cute.
• I wonder if she is nice. I should go say hi.

But wait... what about their name?
The most popular question that you will undoubtedly ask someone the first time you meet them. Often, it comes up more than once a day if you are out in public. Take a moment. Think about how many times in your life you have had to introduce yourself or simply state your name for a worker of a store. Comes out quite frequently doesn't it?
My name is Isis. No, no, I promise you are safe. I am not some atrocious and evil group of people. In fact, if you saw me, I am pretty sure you wouldn't think about that at all. Until you asked me my name. Your eyes might widen, you might crack a joke or two about how you might be in danger or that you are glad we aren't in an airport right now, or look at me and pat my shoulder and try to sympathize and console me by saying the origins of my name. (Egyptian goddess, if you were wondering.)
Yet, I am not ashamed of my name. Go ahead and crack the joke or two, belittling, not only me, but the tons of women and girls that have my name. I will take it; I will take the jokes and the sympathetic stares, but don't forget that it is my name and I won't change it for you or the comfort of normal conversation. 
But also remember my name is not in capital letters, a crucial distinction between myself and the malicious group that attacks innocent people. I sign my name with dignity because I was named after a goddess. A mythical goddess who is known to be strong, brave, indomitable. 
My name is Isis and I am pleased to meet you, but don't base my identity off of a twisted definition the world has come to know. Rethink the next time that you might utter a nervous laugh and crack a joke on behalf of everyone named Isis, think of the little girl who is trying to become independent and courageous but is constantly bombarded by the media's cursing of her own name. But if you do decide to joke, it's okay. We can all take it. After all, we were named after the most powerful goddess for a reason.