What began as a joke and experimentation, has cost a supermarket employee from the United Kingdom quite dearly.
Kenny Kennard, 33, had changed his surname to “Fu-Kennard” a few years ago for fun’s sake. He recently learned that he would no longer be allowed to travel overseas as the new surname is reportedly too rude to be printed on a passport.
The resident of Cornwall has already contested the verdict thrice, but it seems that the passport office is resolute about the stand it has taken on the “offensive” surname, reported The Mirror.
Kenny said he never faced any issue while applying for a driving licence with the same surname, so he had assumed that no problem would arise while applying for a passport to travel overseas either.
However, his application got rejected on the grounds that his name could offend people who may find it vulgar.
After challenging the decision several times, he was informed by the authorities that he needs to get in touch with his MP. Alas, this did not help him either. His MP, Scott Mann, replied saying the passport office has the right to refuse him.
This is when the gravity of the issue sunk in and Kenny started feeling like a prisoner in his own country. He said: “I’m finding it hard to believe the name could be construed as anything but funny and slightly ridiculous. It’s just a joke. Fu-Kennard’ is not offensive, and I object to them denying my chosen name.”
However, as per the guidelines of the UK Home Office, any person applying for a passport cannot have a name that “may cause outrage or offence” or can be classified as “unacceptable”. This would include the use of “swear words, sexually explicit references, inappropriate religious connotation, is vulgar, offensive, or libellous to an individual, etc”.
Kenny has now been asked to change his name if he wishes to get a passport or else to allow the UK Home Office to go ahead with his previous name.
Notably, this is not the first time that he has changed his name. As a teenager, Kenny had changed his name to “Coco Kenny”. He had to change it later when he joined the army because he wanted to be taken more seriously.
After spending eight years in the army he decided to change his name again, this time something “more fun”. That’s when he came up with “Fu-Kennard” since people wouldn’t get his joke.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
