Social Identity

              Our social identities are shaped by many factors. The foundation is who or what influences us during our childhood. This is mostly family and school. When I was young, I was surrounded by very strong women. My mother and father both worked to support a comfortable lifestyle. Eventually, my mother was able to stay home with me and my older brother, but she was always very independent. I never got the sense that any job was specifically done by my mother or father. My dad liked to cook and my mom was handy enough to keep the house from falling apart. My grandmother was the same way. She never hesitates when the grass needs to be cut or if the roof needed to be re-shingled. Not only did they teach me good work ethic, but I never really felt that there were gender roles at all. The men and women in my family were equal. As I’ve grown, I’ve built on these values they’ve taught me. Although their lessons were valuable, some of their values are somewhat “old fashioned”. I do consider myself a feminist, and I believe that every human being has equal rights. I was introduced to new ideas through my peers but I agree with them very easily. I’ve grown to reject the idea that tradition is a valid argument in any situation.

               How far does social responsibility extend? I believe it should go quite far. We may not start from the same place, but if we support each other we could greatly help our society. For example, if a woman advances far in a legistative or other prestigious job where it is harder for women to advance as opposed to men, I believe it is her responsibility to support other women so they may achieve what she has. It would be wrong to deny your success to others who have struggled the same.