Understanding intersectionality is something that is important in the practice of social work. One must be able to understand and deal with one’s clients and their specific positions in life and understand how all of their different identities and places in society interact with each other. However, before one can understand intersectionality in others, one must examine the different areas of one’s own life and how they interact to form a unique identity. I will examine my specific roles in life and how they interact with each other going forward, specifically regarding gender, ethnicity and nationality, race, sexual orientation, abilities and disabilities, class, and religion.
My earliest memories of gender are skewed and confusing. I remember playing house with other children when I was three or four and being given the role of father instead of mother. I was resentful I had to play a masculine role, …show more content…
I have also started making an effort to place women more at the forefront of my life. For example, in class discussions I try to make sure that the women in the room are being heard. There are quiet students in every class, of course, but I find that women have a more difficult time speaking up and getting their ideas across. I also have found myself reading more books written by female authors, and have purposely included works written by women of color. I recognize that, as a woman, I experience different kinds of oppression than other women. When we have talked in class about the idea of bearing witness, this is what I think of: recognizing the experiences of other women, and listening to their stories. As Ken Ford said in his essay Reflections on Flint and El Salvador, “Be there with them. Observe, listen, sit with the people.” By applying this to my own life, I can start to acknowledge oppression and advocate for its
My earliest memories of gender are skewed and confusing. I remember playing house with other children when I was three or four and being given the role of father instead of mother. I was resentful I had to play a masculine role, …show more content…
I have also started making an effort to place women more at the forefront of my life. For example, in class discussions I try to make sure that the women in the room are being heard. There are quiet students in every class, of course, but I find that women have a more difficult time speaking up and getting their ideas across. I also have found myself reading more books written by female authors, and have purposely included works written by women of color. I recognize that, as a woman, I experience different kinds of oppression than other women. When we have talked in class about the idea of bearing witness, this is what I think of: recognizing the experiences of other women, and listening to their stories. As Ken Ford said in his essay Reflections on Flint and El Salvador, “Be there with them. Observe, listen, sit with the people.” By applying this to my own life, I can start to acknowledge oppression and advocate for its