A woman has spoken out after revealing that she was banned from using Uber's services over her first name.
While Uber has provided quick and easy-to-use services for things like grocery deliveries, fast food takeout, and cabs, it seems that not everybody has found the mobile apps convenient in their day-to-day lives.
As reported by News.com.au, one woman - originally from Fiji but now living in Sydney, Australia - revealed that she found herself blocked from ordering food over her first name.
"I was putting in an order for food one afternoon and went to the payment stage and this pop-up came up saying, ‘Your first name is in violation and you need to change your name on the app,'" she told A Current Affair.
Swastika Chandra was told that her first name was deemed "potentially offensive" - despite explaining that the origins of the word stem long before Nazi Germany, with her name actually meaning "good luck" in Sanskrit.
For those who may be unaware, the swastika - originating from the Sanskrit word "svastika" - has a history spanning thousands of years and is found in cultures worldwide.
Initially symbolizing auspiciousness and good fortune in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, the swastika is regularly adorned in religious ceremonies, architecture, and art. In Western countries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it gained popularity as a symbol of good luck and prosperity, appearing on postcards, advertisements, and in architectural designs.
However, its association with Nazi Germany during World War II tarnished its image, leading to widespread condemnation and the banning of its use in many countries after the war.
"[Uber] don’t know that the Hindus used it for thousands of years before Hitler used it in the wrong way," Chandra said - stressing that she remains proud of her name.
Despite its negative connotations in the West, the swastika retains cultural and religious significance in parts of Asia. In India, it remains an important symbol in Hindu rituals, while in East Asian cultures like China and Japan, it symbolizes prosperity and protection. As highlighted in Chandra's story, efforts to reclaim the swastika's original meaning persist, but often meet uncomfortable backlash due to its association with Nazi Germany.
A Current Affair reports that Chandra refused to change her name on the Uber apps, and found support from The Hindu Council, the New South Wales Attorney-General, the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies.
After five months of fighting the ban, Uber eventually granted Chandra access using her full name.
Responding to the case, a spokesperson from Uber told News.com.au in a statement: "Uber is committed to facilitating a safe and welcoming environment for all users. For that reason, Uber has a global policy of restricting access to users whose names entered into the Uber app contain potentially offensive words.
"We understand that there are different cultural nuances to names, and therefore our teams address incidents like this on a case-by-case basis to ensure we evaluate each account fairly.
"In this case, after reviewing Ms Chandra’s request, we reinstated her access to the app."
Uber said that it had issued an apology to Chandra, and praised her patience during the review process.
