My Identity, Race, Class, And Identity

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Traditionally, members of our society feel most comfortable when they’re able to categorize people into boxes based on their identity. People use these unrealistically small boxes to divide up every person they meet between man or woman, rich or poor, and White/Black/Hispanic/Asian etc. Regardless of a person’s desire to participate or not, society will include them in this system of division. Although race, class, and gender are all components in my identity, I, personally, view gender as the most influential.
I continuously express my gender through the way I dress, act, and think with every sift through my closet, every step out the door, and every interaction I encounter. When I’m alone in my room, I don’t feel a constant pressure to …show more content…

Last year, my gender was made prevalent when I ran for E-Board President of my residence hall. After being nominated as a candidate, I returned to my room; it was in the crowded elevator that I overheard two of my fellow residents saying, “I’m definitely voting for the guy because he would be way more effective as a President.” His friend replied, “That girl should have run for public relations or something.” Two complete strangers made assumptions of my skills based solely on my gender and appearance; failing to consider the change that I could potentially bring to our hall. I am extremely grateful that the other voters did not think the same, as I was elected president. I still wonder if the way I dressed, spoke, and acted could have hindered my success when I ran for president. If I looked different, would those comments from the elevator not exist? This is an example of how, at times, my gender can disadvantage me. Gender and appearance should not influence who is elected to lead our society. Those two strangers in the elevator depreciated a woman’s potential by suggesting she take a non-leading role and assuming her skills would be better suited in public relations. That comment was offensive not just to me, but to the candidates running for that position. I remain unsure whether those residents considered me incompetent or not, but I believe that I deserved a shot at an

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