Defining Identity?
The thing that I feel shaped my identity the most is my religion. While there are other aspects, such as being African American and being a woman, I think being Muslim has shaped me the most. Growing up, I started wearing the hijab (headscarf) at a pretty young age. I think I was in the 1st grade when I fully started wearing it. I wanted to wear it and my mom was okay with it and I've been wearing it ever since. Wearing the hijab is a big part of my identity. I identify as a Muslim and as a hijabi (someone who wears the hijab) and others see me as such. I think that because I've worn it for so long, it's become a big part of who I am. Everyone I know knows I'm Muslim and sees me as such. When I walk into a room, people see the hijab on my head and can guess that I'm Muslim most of the time.
Du Bois talks about, "this double consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others". I agree that we as humans are always wondering how others see us and I think that because of this, we allow ourselves to be molded into who we are by others. It's sort of like a double consciousness but I believe that after a while, it becomes one consciousness shaped by others.
Side note: Unfortunately, I struggle deeply with identity and I don't really understand who I am. This post was kind of difficult for me to write because I don't even understand who I am and I couldn't figure out much to say about how I identify. If this post doesn't make much sense, that's the reason.
Hi Aisha! I know you note at the end that this post was a little difficult for you to write but I think you came across very clear. I thought it was interesting how you made the connection between how identity can take multiple forms based on others perceptions and the double consciousness. You really acknowledged certain complexities that exist in how the internal sense of self can still feel affected by the external world in many ways. Even though you wrote at the end how you often struggle with knowing who you are or identify, I think what you said earlier in the post made a lot of sense. Like you mention, sometimes there can be many factors, such as relation, (family, friends, employers, etc.) that can affect how different parts of identity are presented.
ReplyDeleteHi Alyshia,
ReplyDeleteYour post was very interesting to read because it kind of reminded me a little bit about what I have written down when it came to race. I know you are talking a little on a different scale but I just found it very similar because both touches this like emotional aspect you know. I totally understand your emotion when you mean you struggle with that. It is a tough thing to go through.
Aisha, I can relate to your side note! I think of identity as being a pretty fluid construct, and as you note, our conception of it changes based on who we're talking to at the moment along with a whole composite of experiences that have shaped it leading up to that moment. Thank you for sharing your experience about wearing the hijab.
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