Lately
I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be me and how my very distinct
position in society affects my life. How
am I privileged? What opportunities come easy to me? How many disadvantages am
I at mercy to? What kind of biases am I subject to? What about who and what my
classification in America dictates what I go through on a daily basis.
I
think everyone needs to give some thought to their social position. It’s
essential to, not only understanding the dynamics of where you stand, but being
able to improve the lives of those in similar positions. All of these thoughts
were planted in my head as I was reading through some blogs online last week. I
thought about what it means to be a minority in America, particularly a black
latino. I thought about how being gay informs my social relations, even within
the Hispanic community. I contemplated the advantages I have in life simply for
being a man. I have privileges that
anyone of the opposite sex simply still doesn’t have. Men still make more money
than women in the workplace who have the same job. However, I am not just a
man, I am not just a black Hispanic man, and I am a black Hispanic gay man;
that unique position places me in a box that only I can define for myself.
There are layers to everyone that reveal
different aspects of their identity. Giving serious thought to what your
position in society will help you decode the world around you. It’s a form of
enlightenment. When more people become aware of the power they have, we will be
able to surpass some of the issues that are so prevalent today. Men have the
power to help women. Minorities have the ability to empower other minorities.
We need to take an active role in addressing the responsibilities we have with
our diverse identities instead of running from them.
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