Complexity Of Identity

“The concept of identity is a complex one, shaped by individual characteristics, family dynamics, historical factors, and social and political contexts. Who am I? The answer depends on a large part on who the world around me says I am.” This is a quote from Tatum’s Who Am I? The Complexity of Identity. Society has certain rules and guidelines if you want to fit in, therefore, shaping our identities. Social identity is a person's sense of who they are based on their group. Race, ethnicity, Age, religion, and sexual orientation, are all examples for social identities.

I identify myself as a female. Around the world, women’s status in each culture and society differs. Over the years, women’s identity has improved, but in other societies, it has worsened. Gender has shaped the norms that I follow. A female in today’s society has a lot more restrictions and expectations than a male would in today’s society. For example, women are expected to do all the caretaking, cooking, and cleaning within the family. In society today, being a female is a part of the subordinate group. We are the less dominant and don’t hold as much power or authority as a

When I was in middle school, my friends who were of color would get in trouble for her clothing, whether it was her shirt that was too low cut or her shorts that were too short. Myself and many of my white peers didn’t get in trouble as often for out outfits as she or any African Americans/Hispanics did. My friends who were of a different race also suffered different consequences for the same issue as I did. My boyfriend who is from El Salvador also helps me realize racial inequality. A few years back, we both got pulled over for speeding at different times, by the same Police officer. The cop was much more rude to him and gave him more serious consequences than I received. I often get thrown the “it’s because you’re a white female”