Unpacking my Identity
... that I can take care of myself without worrying that I am giving up my femininity. Additionally, I consider myself biologically female with internal male traits. For example, I can do manual labor (repairing automobiles, building cabinets) and perform yard work such as cutting grass while making an appointment for my hair and nails. Furthermore, I do not rely on a “male figure” to complete tasks that society proclaims are “unsuitable” for women to obtain; I truly rely on myself to complete my own responsibilities (changing a tire, cutting grass, manual labor, etc). According to Wendy Kaminer, this description would be defined as a difference feminist. In contrast, my friends, family, and society refer to me as a victim feminist. In defining victim feminist, Naomi Wolf stated, “women have a unique identity, but the focus of their identity is their victimization on the basis of sex, typically at the hands of men” (Wolf 56). My friends, family, and society believe that I am entitled to be subjected to being a dependent amongst others—especially men. My friends, family, and society categorize me as the typical female-- a woman performing household duties (cleaning, cooking, etc). But being approached with situations such as being stranded on the road, trying to accomplish manual labor, or even walking down a dark alley, I am powerless to affect the victim status by which I am primarily defined. As stated in Joetown by Chevannes, “Girls mus’ stay a dem yard and fin’ something fi do! Out on the street anything can happen, worse t’ings dan di bwaai; dem can rape har”(Joetown 52). This statement pictures women as passive and in need of protection, a view consistent with traditionally sexist ideas of women and femininity. While my friends, family, society, and I impose different views on the specific gender role the average female should portray, in agreement we do believe that it is not the responsibility of the female (myself) to be the dominant source of income for the household. As stated in Joetown by Chevvannes “It is a man’s job to find money in order to assume responsibility for woman. In the idea that it is the role of a young boy a-courting to be responsible for his girl is the germ of the notion of the male as the provider” (Joetown 52). My friends, family, society and I agree that a female such as myself should not be the bread provider for the household. Race identity refers to the combination of conceptual and behavioral characteristics that are found within a group of people that distinguishes it apart from any other race identities. Each cultural group may have different ideas about the characteristics that make up its identity (different slang linguistics for each race). Race identity can affect and influence people in different ways. Specifically, being a student at Emory has defined my own racial identity as being an outcast. When I first arrived at Emory the first person to befriend me was a Caucasian. When I approached an African American with interest of becoming their friend, I was looked down upon as if I wasn’t privileged to be their friend. I was always one out of three black students in my lecture classes that consisted of 25 or more students. Although I was never mistreated by any white students or professors, I never really felt like I belonged to Emory. As an African American student at Emory, I live in my own self-segregated world. Being in this type of atmosphere gives me a negative feeling. I feel that as an African American student at Emory, I am not a part of the school as a whole; I feel as if I am a member of a subculture. The interaction between my own race was due in part to the feeling of being "under siege." For instance, we were forced to stick together and protest when a racist remark ran in the student newspaper. As an African American student at Emory, I didn't like the feeling of being obligated to stick with one particular group of people or being pushed into a small corner. I wanted to have the freedom to pick and choose m...