Irene Acosta,
20 years old,
Female,
Mexican American,
Third year college student, and
Youngest of five.
Am I going against what you think I should be? Is this what you have made me believe I am or is this really me? Have you fulfilled your job society? Is this what society wants me to be?
The text begins its discourse with self identity, leading to group identity which then dealing with labels that so happen to be placed there by social constructions (theoretically) and thus continues with oppression and privilege to finally get to the "good" stuff: social justice. If there seems to exist any social justice at the end of it all.
Self identity for many might not SEEM extremely hard at the moment but for others can continue to be a struggle. Let that be for a person under oppression or for a person experiencing privileges. We all have an identity that we are told is all about us and not necessarily about no one else but are these statements true? I unfortunately do not agree. We are the mirror image of society. We are in a constant (if not stopped) cycle that makes us believe that what ever we might be doing is what is suppose to be done. I know who I am in a micro level and yes maybe in a mezzo level as well but how or where do I fit-in throughout the macro level?
Not only do we have to face our "self" identity but then we are faced with the fact that with what or how we identify ourselves takes us to some type of category. We are either oppressed, privileged or belong to both categories. Which of the latter is better? Honestly, I couldn't say. At this point in time my mind is boggled with this. I am in essence oppressed; as a young female minority student but in essence I can also be privileged; by being able to not say I am "disabled" or homosexual. But, "I don't oppress," I say. Well, maybe the person next to me in a wheelchair thinks otherwise? Or maybe the homeless person who just asked me for change sees me as the oppressor? As a future social worker, the idea of me being an oppressor is a very nerve wrecking idea. How do I stand a chance against a fight for social justice when I feel as if I can't even provide such social justice on my own behalf?
This cycle of socialization is one I believe one as a social worker should try and affect in a positive way either in a micro, mezzo or even macro level. A bit unrealistic? Maybe. But then again, we are aspiring to be social workers with our intention to change the world plus we come to the best university of Texas where "What starts here changes the world" it is like its meant to be.
--I leave you with your thoughts.
I definitely agree with you that self-identity is a very complex matter, especially if you're trying to understand where you fit in terms of micro, mezzo, and macro level. I think it's easier for some people than others, but it's still a question that everyone thinks about at some point or the other. I feel that one of the reasons why it's such an important matter is because, like you said, how you identify determines many other aspects of your life. The "One Drop" policy that Professor G mentioned in class exemplifies how people might prefer one identity for themselves over another. With the "One Drop" policy, oftentimes people who looked white but had black ancestry tried to pass as white in order to protect themselves. As sad as it is that they felt like they had to forgo their culture and roots in order to avoid discrimination, the reality is that they would be treated better if they adopted a certain identity. As a future social worker, I hope to work towards creating a world where people don't feel "less than" because of their identity and it sounds like you do too :)
ReplyDeleteI loved reading your introspective thoughts on what it means to be an oppressor or a subordinate. I think for myself, I will be trying to make myself more aware of how I may be complicit in the oppression of subordinate groups as a whole and then change those behaviors. It's such a messy topic, but now that we are aware we can work on being social workers that uplift our clients!
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