Identity

Iden∙ti∙ty1

“Questions about identity can be philosophical, and the act of answering them can require us to think about our beliefs, values, and life goals.” ( Remix pg.5)2

If ten different people were asked to define identity, more than likely, there would be ten different answers. Why is a question that would seem so simple so difficult to answer? That is because the answer is not simple at all. The dictionary defines identity as, 1: sameness of essential character, 2: individuality, 3: fact of being what is supposed. The dictionary only makes identity sound more confusing. To truly understand what identity really is we must think out side of the box.3

Is Identity what we are born with?4

In New York City, there is a community of people who are referred to as “no name babies.” They are a group of people, who in most cases, were born on the street. They do not poses a birth certificate or a social security card. These people very much exist, but without identification, they do not exist in society. These people live on the streets because they are unable to work without an identification card. They are unable to rent a home, unable to buy a car, and they are most certainly not allowed to vote. If they were to die, the only name they would have is “John/Jane Doe.” They can not be identified without a name; therefore, they are without an identity.5

Is Identity shaped by culture?6

There is a young man with an Italian accent who attends my school. I have no idea what his name is, but I am able to identify him as an Italian man. I can say, “Today, I met a Jamaican man at 7-11”, or” The Asian woman in the doctor’s office helped me to fill out my paper work”. We can try to identify people by culture, or by their race. Different cultures can make a person unique amongst other people. I might say, “Today I met a man,” or I might say,” A woman helped me fill out paper work”, but then it could be any man or woman. By stating the race, I am trying to identify them without knowing their name. Our culture and our race can be the first thing a person sees in us and as a result, it can be a part of our identity.7

Is Identity personal choice?8

“We dress to communicate our social identities to others.” says Kim Johnson PhD., a professor at the University of Minnesota, (Pg. 71). The way we dress can tell people a little bit about who we are, without ever saying anything at all. A man wearing a cowboy hat and cowboy boots could be identified as a cowboy. We might assume that he listens to country music and rides a horse, but obviously, assumptions are not always correct. A man dressed like a cowboy may not have ever seen a horse and may not listen to country music at all. He might just want to be identified as a “cowboy.” A woman can choose to cut off all of her hair and can be identified as “the woman with short hair.” The same can go for a man who chooses to grow his hair long. The choices we make about our appearance can come with a stereo-type to those people who do not know us. A man with long hair can be stereo-typed as a hippie, or a woman with short hair can be stereo typed as a woman who wants to look like a man. Whether we like it or not, stereo-typing is a part of human nature and a part of identity. We subconsciously make assumptions by a person’s appearance until we know more about them. That is the beauty of choice and appearance; we can, in some ways, choose our own identity. However, certain physical features can become part of a person’s identity. Lucy Grealy, a woman who was born with only half a face, spent her life being identified as so. Her appearance was the first thing people saw and consequently, that is how she was identified. Most of us can choose our first impressions, but for some of us, aspects of our identity have been chosen for us.9

Iden∙ti∙fy 1: establish the identity 2: associate10

Our identities can say a lot about us, but they can not say everything. We may know a person’s name, possibly ascertain a person’s race, and we may establish their interests by the things that they wear, but we do not know what they think, or what they feel. Our identities may define who we are for others, but it does not define who we truly are as people. The definition for Identity is different for everyone, because people will interpret each identity differently. Someone may identify the cowboy as a “cowboy” and some might identify him as a “redneck.” Some may identify the woman with short hair as “boyish”, and some may identify her as “sleek and confident.” If ten people were asked to identify her, more than likely, there would be ten different answers. Thus, the definition for identity is different for everyone.11

What is identity?12

We may conclude that the definition for identity will be shaped by the assumptions of the person who is doing the identifying! We already know who we are; our identities are for the sake of those who do not know us.13