Naming
Be sure to click here for a general overview of my lifework.
I have two authentic names or orthonyms. Neither of my names is a pseudonym. Both are authentic. My names are all equally important.
About my name tree turtle
tree turtle (spelled lowercase even at the beginning of a sentence) is my legal name and my Buddhist ordination name. I am an upāsikā, or a Buddhist who has taken lay vows. My name translated into the Buddhist language of Pali is vrksākā duli. An upāsikā pledges to adhere to the five precepts (pañcasīla), which are the following: not harming others; not stealing; being open (and not misrepresenting); not mistreating others in terms of unwanted intimate relations; and not abusing intoxicating substances. To learn about my Buddhist contemplative practice, click here. To learn more about Buddhist understandings of animal spirits and plant symbolism click here, here, and here. Along with its spiritual implications, my Buddhist lay vow name is an homage to a beloved childhood friend named Tiny. During our games, she would call me turtle and I would call myself tree. We argued about what I would be called until she let me call myself what I wanted to be called. My name is spelled lowercase to honor the great role that humility and non-hierarchical relations plays in my life. Click here for more information on Buddhist styles related to title case and lowercase.
About the name Cleis Abeni
I use Cleis Abeni for most business relations involving my published writing and my professional editing. For the last fifteen-plus years, Cleis Abeni has been the byline for my written publications. As a writer and editor who works on problems of justice, health, wellness, trauma, and marginalization, I face ongoing challenges with online and face-to-face harassment, stalking, doxing, and abuse. I first began to use Cleis Abeni for safety purposes. I then shifted to openness regarding all of my names to uplift my commitment to full representation of who I am. After years of deliberations, I chose the name Cleis Abeni for myself very carefully. "Cleïs" is the name for the child of the ancient poet Sappho. "Cleisthenes" was an ancient Greek populist leader who helped usher in a profound period of democratic egalitarian prosperity in Athens. "Abeni" is Yoruba for "we asked for this person, and behold, the person came." Cleis Abeni deliberately signifies the marriage of African and European resonances (and other multiplicities) that has always fueled my lifework.
Deadnaming
Avoiding the trauma and violence of deadnaming is a part of the story of my names. Feel free to click here to learn more about the problem of deadnaming.
Pronouns
My main pronouns are she/her/ma'am.
I have two authentic names or orthonyms. Neither of my names is a pseudonym. Both are authentic. My names are all equally important.
- tree turtle
- Cleis Abeni
About my name tree turtle
tree turtle (spelled lowercase even at the beginning of a sentence) is my legal name and my Buddhist ordination name. I am an upāsikā, or a Buddhist who has taken lay vows. My name translated into the Buddhist language of Pali is vrksākā duli. An upāsikā pledges to adhere to the five precepts (pañcasīla), which are the following: not harming others; not stealing; being open (and not misrepresenting); not mistreating others in terms of unwanted intimate relations; and not abusing intoxicating substances. To learn about my Buddhist contemplative practice, click here. To learn more about Buddhist understandings of animal spirits and plant symbolism click here, here, and here. Along with its spiritual implications, my Buddhist lay vow name is an homage to a beloved childhood friend named Tiny. During our games, she would call me turtle and I would call myself tree. We argued about what I would be called until she let me call myself what I wanted to be called. My name is spelled lowercase to honor the great role that humility and non-hierarchical relations plays in my life. Click here for more information on Buddhist styles related to title case and lowercase.
About the name Cleis Abeni
I use Cleis Abeni for most business relations involving my published writing and my professional editing. For the last fifteen-plus years, Cleis Abeni has been the byline for my written publications. As a writer and editor who works on problems of justice, health, wellness, trauma, and marginalization, I face ongoing challenges with online and face-to-face harassment, stalking, doxing, and abuse. I first began to use Cleis Abeni for safety purposes. I then shifted to openness regarding all of my names to uplift my commitment to full representation of who I am. After years of deliberations, I chose the name Cleis Abeni for myself very carefully. "Cleïs" is the name for the child of the ancient poet Sappho. "Cleisthenes" was an ancient Greek populist leader who helped usher in a profound period of democratic egalitarian prosperity in Athens. "Abeni" is Yoruba for "we asked for this person, and behold, the person came." Cleis Abeni deliberately signifies the marriage of African and European resonances (and other multiplicities) that has always fueled my lifework.
Deadnaming
Avoiding the trauma and violence of deadnaming is a part of the story of my names. Feel free to click here to learn more about the problem of deadnaming.
Pronouns
My main pronouns are she/her/ma'am.