4/5 Gender, Diversity, and Family Dynamics

I found these autobiographies interesting and very relatable, partly because all of the students were our age, and were experiencing encounters similar to ours. The three students, both raised American, have other racial backgrounds. Miguel, the first students, explains: “I never found a place where I fit in, where my identity wasn’t qualified by my race—and later by my sexual orientation (838). I feel like this is often true, not just from children but adults too. As Bluest Eye explains, appearance often contributes to power and class. These students struggle to defy the racial and gender stereotypes of their time. At a young age, children are influenced by their parents’ views on others. Even though Andrade struggles to find her “identity” apart from her race, she is still exposed to this type of discrimination in her very own family. She explains, “There were about thirty of them, though whom my mother found jobs cleaning “gringos” apartments in New York City” (847). This implies that her mother probably referred to her clients as gringos (racially derogative term for a North American or Anglo-Saxon). How can she escape racial profiling in her community and school if her own family adopts the same practices? Andrade explains later that her mother “She blames my non-belief partly on my education, partly on my free will as an American-raised woman, and partly simple on me” (851).  Once Andrade grows older, she begins to identify herself sexually in a way that upsets her mother. As Andrade attempts to find solidarity in society, she simultaneously struggles to seek her mother’s “approval”.

A fine example of racial ignorance

            Eliminating racism and prejudice today is a difficult and challenging quest for most young adults. In fact, Bluest Eye explains that racism is a complex, multi-faceted structure that is ever-present in our lives. In order to re-conceptualize what it means to identify oneself, we must embrace our differences. Miguel explains that when “white students,” ask him about his background, he is hesitant to respond. Why?? I am proud of who I am, and what my background is. Although I was born in New Jersey, I still identify myself as an Indian. I think it is ignorant to deny the fact that race is a contributing factor in our identities. I’d like to think that part of my personality stems from the fact that I was raised with Indian parents—and I take pride in that. Andrade’s brother returns from college and she explains, “Something apparently led him to look inside himself and dig out his raices—his roots” (845). Just like her brother, we must embrace our culture, our roots, and our history. The final student also explains, “Through those voices, I saw other piece of my “Self”, another piece of what it means to be a Latino” (858). These two men see that being Latino is part of who they are. –Something you cannot escape.

Texas' celebration of Holi is an example of embracing cultural diversity.
By accepting these traditions and practices, students take pride in their culture.

            So when the question arises, how do we embrace diversity, I believe diversity begins when we appreciate who we are--   whether that is identified by a race, gender, sexuality, interest, love, or anything. There are many things that make us who we are, and race is an inevitable factor in this equation. So embrace it.