WhoAmI?

AndrewMunroe
Weareallsimplylivingbeings,yetonethingmakesushuman,socialization.Thisishow
welearnaboutallournormsandbeliefs,andthissocializationhaschainedustoanarrow
perspectiveofthingsthathasbeenharmfultousasapeople,andtheseideasweregiventousby
acyclethatiscontinuouslykeptgoingbyussubconsciously.Socializationistaughttous
throughfiveimportantagents,media,family,peers,religion,sports,andtheseaffectusthemost.
Theseagentshaveinfluencedeverypartofourdailylivesandtheyhavetaughtuswhatwe
believetobenormal."Wearethensocializedbypowerfulsourcesinourworldstoplaytheroles
prescribedbyaninequitablesocialsystem."AsstatedbyHardmanandJacksoninthearticle
CycleofSocialization
.Andthentheseagentshavecreatedouridentitiesthatmakeusconsider
whoweareintodayssociety.Theyshapeourselfconceptsandselfperceptions,thenorms
andtheruleswemustfollow,theroleswearetaughttoplay,ourexpectationsforthefuture,and
ourdreams.Acknowledgedseverelybythe
CycleofSocialization
article.Throughthemedia
andsocietyIhavebeensocializedtothinkthatImustbeathletic,strong,andsmarttobeaso
calledperfectman,thatbecauseofmysocialclassIneedtoworkharderinmyacademicsfor
opportunitiesinourworld,andbecauseImwhiteIcanspeaktoothersandnotbecontradicted
becauseofmyskincolor.

Menareexpectedtofollowcertainrulesandconformtothestandardviewsonmenand
thattheyneedtobesmartandathletictofitthegenderofaman.Betough,besmart,dontcry,
showingemotionisbad,andallofthesemessagescomefromaplacecalledtheManBox.The
ManBoxisaplacewheretherearerulesthatareheldinplacebysocietyandthatIMUST
followtheserulesifIwanttobeamanwhoisconsiderednormal.AsateenageboyIveheard
themessagesmany,manytimesbeingthrownatmefrommediaandsports.Ihaveoftentriedto
formthesenormsaroundmyselfandbewhatImtoldtobe.AsTonyPorter,statesinthevideo
ACalltoMen
,Growingupasaboy,weweretaughtthatmenhadtobetough,hadtobestrong,
hadtobecourageous,dominatingnopain,noemotions,withtheexceptionofangerand
definitelynofearthatmenareincharge,whichmeanswomenarenotthatmenlead,andyou
shouldjustfollowanddowhatwesaythatmenaresuperiorwomenareinferiorthatmenare
strongwomenareweakthatwomenareoflessvalue,propertyofmen,andobjects.Thisisthe
ManBox.AfterhearingthisIwassurprisedthatthesemessageswereabouthowI,asaman,was
supposedtoactandthatthiswashowIneededtoactinordertofitin.Iseeinthemediathe
messagesofgenderandthesearehavinganeffectthatisharmfultome.Asanegativeeffectof
thesemessagesIstartedtodoubtmyself,thatIwasnevergoingtobeaccepted,andbecauseof
thesenegativeidealstheconfidenceIhadinmyselfstartedtodrop.IsitfairthatImustchange
whoIam?IsitfairthatImustactlikeamantobeone?No,butbecausegenderidealshavebeen
sodeeplyingrainedintosociety,ithasbecomecompletelyacceptedbyeveryoneandthatallmen
andwomenalikeneedtoflowintotheconfinesoftheirgender.

Thewaymygenderhasbeenrepresentedinmediaandsportshasallowedmetothinkof
mygender,beingawhiteman,asanacceptablewaytofitintosociety.Asthearticle
Cycleof
Socialization
byBobbieHarrostates,Weareallbornintoaspecificsetofsocialidentities.I
haveoftenbeingtoldIwasgayandsometimestomanupandstopcrying,andthishascaused
metoaskmyselfwhyIputonamasktochangemyidentity,andIcanonlysayisthatIchange
thewayIactbecauseIwishtobeconsiderednormalbymyfriendsandtobeacceptedasaman.
Fromthevideo
MyPrincessBoy
,CherylKilodavisasserted,Peoplewanttosayhesgayor
hestransgender.AndwhatImsayingisacceptusforwhoweare.Thisreallystruckmeas
true,thatIneedtobeacceptedforwhoIam,andnotforwhoIwastoldtobe.Forexample
beingamanandhavinggenderconstrictionshascausedmetochallengemyselfimageand
retractinsidemyselftoputupanoutwardfacingidentitymaskthatcreatesanimageofwhat
othersbelieveImustbe.

Youreconomicclass,somethingthat,likegender,largelyimpactswhetheryouareworth
viewingintoday'ssocietyandhowyousucceedintheworld,whichisaroundusconstantly.
Comingfromamiddleclassbackground,Ifeelverydifferentlyaboutsomeoneelsewhoisnotin
thiscategory.IknowthatbecauseIaminthismiddleclassIhaveopportunitiesthatpeopleof
thelowerclassmaynot,andcansucceedinthechoicesImake,butIcanneverreachthesocial
senioritythattherichholdovermeandeveryoneelse.Toexplainhowdifferentthethemiddle
andlowerclassarefromtheupperclassinAmerica,thevideo
WealthInequalityInAmerica
claims,Thebottom80%ofAmerica,(poorthroughmiddleclass)holdonly7%ofAmerica's
wealth.ItissoshockingtomethatIaminthebottompartofthewealtheventhoughIamnot
poorandthattherichhaveimmenseamountofpoweroverothers.Ihaveseenthattherichhave
lotsofpowerandalmostalloftherichestpeopleintheworldarewhitemen.Beingabovethe
lowerclassIhavebeenmotivatedtoworkmyhardesttosucceedinmyendeavours.Asa
teenagerIvetriedtodomybestinschool,becauseIknowthatifIdomybestIwillbeableto
achieveahigherlevelofeducationincollegeandinthecareersIaminterestedin.ButcanI
achievemygoalsifIamofalowersocialclass,eventhoughImwhite?IbelieveIcanifIset
mymindtoit.

Theeconomicclasssystem,thewaysocietyhascategorizedpeoplebyhowmuchmoney
andsocialpowertheyhave,IbelievewassimplycreatedsothatIcannotchallengewhoIamand
breakthenegativeconfinesofthecyclethatiscontinuingeventhoughwedontnoticeit.Ihave
oftenchangedmyselfimagemanytimes,butonlybecauseIwishedtobeacceptedbywhoI
consideredmyfriends.ButIseenowthattheyweren'ttrulyacceptingme,theywereaccepting
thepersonwhohadputonthemaskthatchangedmyidentity.Iknowthatbychangingmy
identitiesIamopeningmyselfupformorechoices,butIdonotwishtotakechoicesthatIneed
tochangemyselfinordertodoso.Ihavealwayshadagreatchanceathavingopportunities
presentedtomeinmylife,thatmanypeopleofthelowerclassmaynot.ForinstanceIknow

thatbecauseIcanaffordtoridebicycles,tobuythejerseys,andgototheraces,thatIwillbe
abletoreachtheplacesinlifeIwishtogo,butnotwithoutworkingforit.Ihavetriedtoextend
theknowledgethatIhavebecauseIwishtoachieveahigherlevelofimportanceamongthe
people,andsoIwillnotbeconsideredamongthepeopleofalowerclass.Asthevideo
Precious
Knowledge
notices,Whenyougrowupinapoorareayoudontgetthesameopportunitiesas
otherpeople.Everyone'sdrivenbywealthincludingmyself,andthisisoneofthenegative
influencesfromthe
CycleofSocialization
thatdrivesoursociety.Thisiscreatingagreatergap
incommunicationbetweentheeconomicclasses.

InpresentdayIamoftentoldtobemoreofamanthenIamnow,andtostopwishingfor
thingsIcannotbuy.Thesehavebeentoldtoalmostallofusatonepointinourlivesandmade
usthinkofhowwecannotbeandthatwecanneverbeasgoodassomeoneelse.Canpeople
change?Yes,ofcourse,wecanallchange,butwhydontwe?Asthearticle
Cycleof
Socialization
acknowledges,Weareinnocents,fallingintoanalreadyestablishedsystem.and,
Thesemessagesareanautomaticpartofourearlysocialization,wedontinitiallyquestion
them.Wearetoldthatwecannotchangebecausethisiswhoweare,andifwedochangethen
wearenotconsideredhuman.Ifwedowanttochange,everyonemustsacrificepartofwhothey
weretofindournewtrueselvesthatinvolveourinnerbeings.Thereasonwehavenotchanged
isbecauseweareafraidthatthepeoplewhoalreadyhavefallensodeeplyintotheirown
prescribedidentitieswillthinkofusasoutcastsanddevalueus,justlikeifweignoretheMan
Boxanditsrules.HowcanIasanindividualbreaktheharmfulcyclesofsocialization?Ithink
thatIcanbreakthecyclebydoingwhatIchoosetodoandnotwhatotherstellme.Icanbelieve
thatifweempowereachother,andthealreadyexistingsocietythatisformingourworld,wecan
helpeachothertobreaktheselfperpetuatingcycle,thenegativeconfinesandtheharmfulrules
thatarecausingustochangewhoweareinordertobeaccepted.

MASKparagraph.
Everyonehasamask,whetheritsforhidingsomethingortellingotherpeoplesomething
wewantthemtobelieve,andweallputthemupsubconsciously.Forme,mymaskrepresents
howIvebeensocializedmostlybygender.SomymainfocuswashowIhavebeentoldabout
genderthroughmessagesfromthe5agentsofsocialization.Idecidedtoshowhowtheagentsof
socializationhavegivenmeideasabouthowImsupposedtobe,andhowIinevitablypieced
themtogethertoformanidentityofwhatothersthinkIamononesideofmymask.Iwillwrite
messagesaboutwhoIamontheothersidesuchas,creative,thinker,quiet,andothermessages
toshowhowIaminsidemyself,andhowIwishtobewithoutbeingtoldotherwise.IdecidedI
wouldpaintflowingshapesontheforeheadofmymasktoshowhowIhaveideasthatIwishto
share.Ialsodrewmusicnotestosymbolizehowmybrain,myconsciousness,isconstantlyinan
imaginaryplace.IrealizedIwashidingquitealotasamanandthatIwasinfluencedby
messagesmorethanIrealized.

EvidenceandQuotes.
AsTonyPorter,fromthevideoACalltoMensays,Seethismanboxhasinitallthe
ingredientsofhowwedefinewhatitmeanstobeaman
and
Growingupasaboy,weweretaughtthatmenhadtobetough,hadtobestrong,had
tobecourageous,dominatingnopain,noemotions,withtheexceptionofanger
anddefinitelynofearthatmenareincharge,whichmeanswomenarenotthatmen
lead,andyoushouldjustfollowanddowhatwesaythatmenaresuperiorwomenare
inferiorthatmenarestrongwomenareweakthatwomenareoflessvalue,property
ofmen,andobjects.

CherylKilodavisadmitsfromthe
MyPrincessBoy
videothatPeoplewanttosayhes
gayorhestransgender.AndwhatImsayingisacceptusforwhoweare.

Asinthevideo
Wealth

InequalityinAmerica
claims,Thebottom80%ofamerica(poor
throughmiddleclass)holdonly7%ofallofAmerica'swealth.

"Wearethensocializedbypowerfulsourcesinourworldstoplaytherolesprescribed
byaninequitablesocialsystem."AsstatedbyHardmanandJacksoninthearticle
Cycle
ofSocialization
.

Theyshapeourselfconceptsandselfperceptions,thenormsandtheruleswemust
follow,theroleswearetaughttoplay,ourexpectationsforthefuture,andourdreams.
Asacknowledgedbythe
CycleofSocialization
article.

Ihaveseenmessagesfromtherichpeopleonthemedia,tellingeveryone,thatif
you'rerichyoucandoanythingifyouhavelotsofmoney,andifyouareofalowerclass
youareunimportantandcantdoanything,evenifyourewhite.