I have always felt that in order to effectively communicate with others, you must take time to learn about different identities, culture, race, religion, etc. I believe it is extremely important to have an open mind when it comes to beliefs and values that differ from your own. I knew this class will further expand my knowledge regarding different identities, which is why I was interested in taking it. I am someone who enjoys to travel and learn about different cultures, therefore it is vital for me to be aware of different identities. I also work with the autism population, so to better assist those in need I must expand my knowledge with different identities.
Although I was aware of the many different identities, I did get a deeper understanding of the different genders and sexualities. I was not aware that some people considered their sexuality to be intersex, asexual, or allied. I do have friends in the LGBTQIA community, and support the community as a whole, however to fully support a community I need to know all it is that I can know about it. Expanding my knowledge about this community can help me further promote equality.
Before taking this class, I was aware that women are not treated equally as men. However, one thing that really stood out to me this semester was the lack of gender-neutral language. I was aware of some feminist write “womyn” instead of “women.” Also, as I mentioned in one of my discussions, I have attended a lecture where the speaker would say “chairwomen” instead of “chairmen.” Language does promote the invisibility of women. Therefore, moving forward I will be more conscious with the words I choose to help promote equality for women.
One of my favorite things regarding this class’s format was being able to read everyone’s personal stories, views, and opinion. It helps me keep an open mind regarding certain topics and see how different others personal journey’s are. The Institutional Artifact project was extremely helpful in learning how the different genders are perceived. I never really paid attention to how gender roles are presented in TV shows and movies. Moving forward, I will look for how gender roles are displayed in TV shows, movies, and certain institutions.
