Personal Experiences and Social Imagination

There are a number of factors throughout my life that have shaped my understanding of the world and the self. In particular, I think that gender has been an interesting topic to think about and a theme that has given me considerable trouble throughout my life. Gender is a complicated matter to discuss, especially with a variety of perspectives and theories to choose from. Therefore, it has been a difficult process for me to figure out what my own understanding of myself is, or whether I fit into the narrow boxes society has assigned to me. During my youth, I have not given this specific question much thought, taking the social expectations for me for granted and going with the flow. Recently, however, I have begun to increasingly question my own feelings or wonder if I can even call them my own, if I am satisfied with the way I am seen by others. Looking at other people, it seems like figuring out “who you are” is a simple thing, something you just have to feel, it has been far from easy for me. The topic has allowed me to ponder on other social aspects of life we often take for granted, such as gender roles or expression, which are also often difficult to formulate.