Name Rant

My mom has two major reasons she hates the name Chastity.

1: The famous Chastity Bono was born out of wedlock.

2: It sounds too much like my sister’s name, Charity.

I have heard her same speeches about this over and over. Recently this happened twice. First when I showed her my name in Pokémon Go: “ChastityUnicorn”. Second, when I emailed her recently and it showed the name Chastity Rose because I had changed my google profile name. Apparently it changes my display name across all google products. If I had known this, I would have waited till I was moved out so my mom wouldn’t ask me a bunch of questions.

I’m no longer afraid for any random stranger on the Internet to know who I am. Those who pay close attention would have noticed a long time ago from my Style Savvy screenshots that I’ve been naming myself Chastity since a long time ago.

But because my mom asks questions about it and I know others will ask the same dumb questions, I’ll spell it out here and update it as sort of a FAQ as needed.

First, the last name Rose comes from the flower. It has nothing to do with my friend by the name Rose. The only thing in common is that we both like the flower called the Rose. She is the Black Rose and I am the White Rose.

Second, the name Chastity was chosen not because of how it sounds nor based off of the name of anyone else. It was originally a suggestion from my friend Sarah because I’m a virgin. It fits perfectly because after all I’m the one who used to host a podcast with a friend about Celibacy and Veganism. I have many thoughts about that and can easily explain it whenever asked.

But basically the name Chastity White Rose is a nickname I go by in video games and some of my online accounts. People will of course always know what my birth name is because it’s on all my published books and business cards.

However for me I get a good feeling about this new name because it’s a way of defining myself rather than letting myself be defined by my mother or anyone else. Only I know who I am.

I refuse to be put in a box by other people. I’m sick of labels such as Christian, Atheist, Democrat, Republican, Male, Female, etc.

I know who I want to be and I know that I can be an artist, singer, dancer, programmer, or whatever I want to be.