Class: Upper-middle class
I’m well-off in terms of my socioeconomic status, which means that I enjoy the historical privilege of better resources and more access to power. This can also manifest itself through unearned advantages like good childhood healthcare or insurance, and opportunities like going to a rigorous school in a safe neighborhood. Social class acts as a salient factor in my life: Because of where I’m positioned on the scale, it’s easier for me to achieve success because I’m not encumbered by external pressures like wondering where my next meal will come from or whether or not I have transportation to school. The fact that I can afford to be here at Wesleyan, a prestigious university that’s eighth in the country for highest tuition, is explanatory in and of itself.
Race: Caucasian. Ethnicity: Western European
As a white person that is a member of the dominant majority, the crippling force of systemic and institutionalized racism doesn’t affect me in the way that it does for people of color. I have the privilege to exist in relative comfort in this system, to feel guilt regarding Black American and other struggles while I enjoy preferential treatment from strangers, authority figures, and institutions. Many older members of my hometown preach that they “don’t see color,” as if there was any to see anyways. I had five people of color in my entire school. I remember when I went to a Washington D.C law program my sophomore year of high school, a friend looked up the racial demographic of my town on his phone and asked, “Have you ever even seen a Black person before this?”
Gender/Sexual Orientation: Female, Heterosexual
While I haven’t had to live with the challenges of being a queer person in America, being a woman operating in a world where men underestimate you and your looks determine your treatment is a hard pill to swallow. When I was sixteen I was followed for an hour in a museum. When I was seventeen someone came to my place of work after tracking me in a bookstore. By nineteen, the amount of uncomfortable interactions I’ve had, unwanted attention and condescending comments I’ve received weigh on my chest heavily. It’s a new kind of frustration, or helpless feeling when you’re sitting in a class and you know that what you say, no matter how articulate and profound, will never be regarded as important. Or the painful awareness of walking and existing alone, of salacious stares and the instinct to hide.
Religion: Christianity, Catholicism
Historically, the Catholic church has held high positions of power institutionally, and also, subsequently, exploited that power. I recognize the freedom of being able to practice my faith and family tradition in America without fear of judgment. Christian dominance persists and the religious beliefs that I follow have been normalized. I can expect to have time off school or work to celebrate my religious holidays, and music or TV programs for them are always readily accessible. I can worship freely without violence or threats. The garments or items linked to my faith that I could choose to wear will draw less negative attention. I can freely express this part of my identity, which feeds my soul. But at what cost?
