There are ID's that fit my sense of me, and ones that don't fit as closely. Some are easy -- lesbian, for example. Others are more problemmatic -- femme, for example. The important point for me is that i shouldn't allow myself or others to use an identity to put into question who i am or how i walk through the world. My sense of what works for me does not have to fit anyone's sense of what a femme should be, for example.
i also think there are IDs that say a lot about who i am, but that i don't think about much. They are not valuable to me, not fought for, not ones that helped me grow. Middle class is an example. It says a lot about me. But i didn't earn it. i am grateful for having had to struggle less than i might have had to. But i don't feel pride about my class status. i don't think about myself as a middle class person very often. But i think AS a middle class person every day. i am sure it says way more about me than femme does.
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