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Breaking Down Boxes
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I come from a conservative household in the South, where the discussions we are having in class and the readings we do for class would never be spoken about. These topics are taboo where I come from. Even though I'm from a large city, which is culturally very different than the rural south, there are still so many stigmas associated with not conforming to "norms." If one does not fit into a certain predetermined box, they are pushed to the edges of society, from which it is hard (but not impossible) to return from. During our exercise on Thursday, Ester drew a picture of me breaking out a box. That's a pretty accurate description of me. I do not think metaporphical, pre-determined boxes should have any part in society, in fact they hinder society. However, I honestly grew up in a box. It was a box with walls of expectations. I was never comfortable in that box. Yet it was not until I was old enough to think for and make significant decisions by myself that I began to question and tear apart my box. I wish I had begun this process earlier because I know now how much of an impact those walls had on me as a person. Our childhood molds us, but it does not make us who we are. I'm still discovering who I am, and am excited to have this class be a part of that journey.
Comments
Critical feminism 2013
I am from a similar situation. I also come from a very small town with a limited view of gender. I didn't realize this until I came to Bryn Mawr and left my small town bubble and enter the new bryn mawr bubble. By coming to bryn mawr and taking courses like this it has come to my attention that there is more then two genders and your gender can be constant or changing. I use to think gender and sex where the same thing but it is not and your gender is your personal choice, not a choice for someone else to make.