The journey of self-identity is one of the toughest journeys in the life of a human being. In particular, young adults find the process of self-discovery to be as daunting as aver. The issue of self-identity is one that is marred with evolving challenges. The modern era, with the advent and spread of social media, has made the journey even tougher. Additionally, the spread of globalization has led to the culture of globalizing trends that result in conflicts for many people. The societies that we grow up in also affect our idea of self. Social norms shape the perspective with which any individual perceives the world, and the lenses through which they also perceive their own identities. Scholars have argued that society has a tremendous role to play in the identity that we assume for ourselves and in the roles that we play in the social structures that make up the world.
However, an individual also has some level of control over their own identity and the way they are perceived in a community. For instance, one can control what they chose to reveal to the world about themselves and what they chose to keep hidden for themselves. The more obvious aspects of social identity are instantly recognizable by others and cannot be controlled by an individual. Race and gender are the first social identities that can be spotted on sight and cannot be manipulated at the individual level. For, me, my race, gender, and religious affiliations are the parts of my social identity that are most important to me. My race and gender are an integral part of who I am as a person and distinguish my place in the world. Additionally, gender and race play a big role in distinguishing my role in the world and how I experience the world around me. Further, my religious affiliation provides the foundation on which I build all my principles in life. For me, religion is the anchor that guides me to find my mission in life and is the platform from where I design my life.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Social class and political affiliations are the aspects of my social identity that I am least important to me. This is because I regard these aspects of identity as contentious and more likely to divide than to build bridges. In particular, social class is imposed at birth, with no individual contribution, and is a cause of many inequalities and divisions in society. On the other hand, political affiliations in an emotive issue tend to be a source of conflict in the working environment that I prefer to keep personal. Race and social class are aspects that are imposed by society. Political and religious identities are influenced by the social norm but ultimately remain controlled at a personal level. Gender identities have recently been more flexible to personal interpretation. Social class, gender, and race are a source of privilege or lack thereof, especially in the united states. Women and minority groups face more challenges while white males are accorded with more privileges.
I identified with a female minority client in the simulation exercise. This is because my client had struggled with the inequalities and injustices that accompany minority groups in America. This particular social group is one of the most disadvantaged in American society, this client, therefore, provided great insight into the influences of race and gender dynamics in America's social structures. The only source of privilege my client had was sexual orientation as being straight in America confers privileges to an individual. This client's experiences were very similar to my own experiences and provided a platform for growth and learning for both the client and myself. Thereby, the shared experiences between the client and myself will enable me to attend to the issues of social identity and intersectionality as well as the dynamics of power and privilege more empathetically. I will be more aware of the differences and complexities between my client and me which will make me a better social worker.
