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Mirror
Mirror
By Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz A woman was banned from using Uber’s ride-share and food delivery service because they deemed her name offensive – despite being common in some countries. For millions of people around the world, the word swastika is associated with the horrors of World War 2. But for Swastika Chandra, it’s an important part of her culture. The name means good luck and prosperity in ancient Sanskrit, which is a major part of the 35-year-old mum’s identity as a Hindu. But for many in the West, the word is commonly associated with Germany’s Nazi Party in the 20th century. The swastika is…
It is worth noting that Germans never called this symbol as “Swastika.” In German, it is called ein Hakenkreuz, a hooked cross. The British used the Hindu word because of their relationship with India, and that’s what stuck in the English-speaking world.
Still, if I had a delivery coming from “Swastika,” my first instinct might be to cancel the order.