Identity was a concept that stood out to me. I agree when the text stated, “Over a lifetime, you construct multiple versions of your identity, giving new meanings to yourself as a person.”(12.) This is to show that no one ever remains the same, and the people we surround ourselves with, as well as societal norms, play a big role in how we express our identities. Whether we become the anomalies or abide by the status quo, there is a change that occurs whenever we interact with other people.
I also appreciated the concept of Agency and allowing the agency to others. I found this very important because ever so often we restrict and hold our peers back from the freedom of expression. We often creat these boxes and spaces for people to understand where they fit in our society. We place them in these categories so that they can make sense to us, especially when it does not align with our own beliefs. It is saying, whether you agree or not, whether it aligns with your expectations, you owe the next person room/opportunity/freedom to choose who they are to themselves.
The story concept was an interesting one, especially with Keith’s gender story. When Keith states, “My father sees marriage as a partnership between two equally capable humans who bring different opinions, ways of doing thing, and skills to a relationship…”. This story interesting because it made me realize the importance of childhood and the setting in which they are raised. Rarely do I ever hear the narrative of the man who sees his partner as equal, and it was quite refreshing. In my childhood, I can tell that my mom went all out to fulfill her “role” as a wife and it always made a question whether or I wanted this for myself. I did not know it then, but from the age of 8, I was a feminist.
This is a great journal entry – concise and clear and connected to your life. Welcome to the club! I, too, was an 8-year-old feminist 🙂