I just wish they would get to know me. I just wish they would of actually gave me a chance. Is it my fault that my presence intimidates them without me even trying? It is right to exclude me because I may be a tad bit different than the others? These are the questions I think about when I think about the experience that changed my life. I like that this class is not only about the scientific version of gender. I appreciate that we learn that factors such as race and social class can play a role in gender discrimination. This experience that changed my life includes me being discriminated against based on all of these factors.
My gender identity is one of being a young black women. I believe my gender identity is based on biological theories, brain development, and psychological theories. Learning that there are many other factors that contribute to gender roles has given me an appreciation for others ideas and feelings as it pertains to gender. I will be discussing how biological theories, brain development, and psychological theories are some of the top factors that influence my gender, and why I most likely experienced the discrimination that I have.
I like to wear my hair in a variety of ways. Different textures, colors, and lengths. I like my nails long most of the time, sometimes I want neutral colors, sometimes I want bright colors. I naturally have a strong presence, yet I am balanced. I am confident. I speak up, I am the person to raise my hand when no one does. I stick up for myself, I do not let people run all over me. Unfortunately, all of my qualities stem from being a black woman. I say unfortunately because these qualities should not be assigned to only black women. Because of our oppression, these qualities are then considered ghetto, or intimidating. So, on top of me being African American I’m a woman as well? What a double threat, not only for others but for me as well. Because of this I have to conform to others idea of what professional looks like. I have to mellow out my personality to fit in with others. I am the outsider when I am in environment that usually do not accept many of my kind. This type of environment do not accept different personalities, and creativity. Yet this type of environment promotes diversity, and inclusion.
My biological make up says I am a woman of African decent. So I do things that girls do with the influence of black culture. I wear cornrows, I embrace my curl pattern, I cant help that my lips are big or my hips spread. The walk I have is strong, it comes from my black mother. I cant help that either. My brain development comes from what I grew up around. Growing up in the time of 1998-2020, times did drastically change in front of my eyes. Ideas of gender, racism, technology, and more grew drastically as I grew into a young woman. I’ve watched same sex marriage become legal (which is great for equality), I have watch flip phones turn into smart phones. Because of smart phones, I’ve watched along with millions of other people live footage of racism. My generation have seen the ideal body type change from slim and tall to thick, very thick. Even facial features have standards; big lips, small noses, chiseled cheek bones, perfect teeth and more. It is so easy to be influenced by society’s standards, this is a mixture between brain development and psychological theories.
“Gender identity is our internal experience and naming of our gender. It can correspond to or differ from the sex we were assigned at birth…This core aspect of one’s identity comes from within each of us. Gender identity is an inherent aspect of a person’s make-up. Individuals do not choose their gender, nor can they be made to change it. However, the words someone uses to communicate their gender identity may change over time; naming one’s gender can be a complex and evolving matter. Because we are provided with limited language for gender, it may take a person quite some time to discover, or create, the language that best communicates their internal experience. Likewise, as language evolves, a person’s name for their gender may also evolve. This does not mean their gender has changed, but rather that the words for it are shifting” (Gender Spectrum). I really like this piece of writing from Gender Spectrum because it conveys to its audience that a persons identity is to be respected. This piece of writing recognizes the shift that is happening in this world due to gender identities. Just as I expect respect because I identify as a black woman, the same goes for anyone no matter how they identify.
I really like your opening paragraph. In revisions, make the course concepts you are using stand out more by naming them, defining them by referencing or citing course readings, and then explaining how they relate to you.