Introduction
Identity entails an individual’s significant development milestones. In the course of development, a person associates with a group of people that subscribes to particular beliefs and behaviors. However, such inclination may prompt an individual to reject people that subscribe to contradicting behaviors and beliefs. Nevertheless, at one point, a person learns to accept people regardless of their identity, thus creating inclusiveness and diversity in society. Sexual orientation entails one of the most controversial issues in the American society. The main aim of this paper is to evaluate self-awareness on my identity based on sexual orientation.
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation entails an individual’s mental, romantic, and sexual attraction towards another person. An individual can be heterosexual, bisexual, or homosexual depending on his/her social constructs on sexual identity (Brewster & Melrose, 2014). Although sex identity is different from gender identity, I believe that these two aspects correspond to each other. Gender identity entails an innate feeling of being either a male or female. As a heterosexual female, I subscribe to the female way of conduct as depicted by social constructs. Initially, most societies were patriarchal, and thus roles were designed based on gender. In such communities including the Hispanic society in which I associate, women performed domestic roles whereas men were involved in commercial-related roles. Although most societies have changed in the recent times, some of these aspects remain. In the American society where I was born and raised, people no longer subscribe to the gender-based roles. However, some social constructs concerning sex identity exist especially in the family setup (Brisson, 2012). With reference to this analysis, I believe that I should behave as the society expects me to as a heterosexual female. For example, I am very choosy on my dressing code and I always ensure that I dress in clothes that bring out the feminine traits in me. I am sure that in the current society, I would prompt people to raise eyebrows if I dressed in drooping trousers or office wears, which are meant for the men. Similarly, I would raise eyebrows if I came across a male child dressed in a flowery dress among other forms of women clothes. Furthermore, after school, you will find me doing women-associated chores, such as laundry, cooking, and tidying the house.
Traditionally, the society recognized intimacy or marriage between a man and a woman. However, this aspect is changing in the recent times with some people embracing marriages and intimacy between people of similar sex (Brisson, 2012). As a Hispanic, my family appreciates intimate relationships between the opposite sexes. Being a heterosexual, I have ambitions of starting a family in the future and bearing children through the natural way. Although I socialize with both men and women, I have never been in an intimate relationship with other women. I am intimately attracted to men and I find it weird when people get in sexual and romantic relationships with people of similar sex. In fact, I cannot contain homosexual thoughts in my brain for a second.
My family played a significant role in transmitting heterosexuality to me as part of my identity. First, my mother made sure that I dressed in girls’ clothes and adopted feminine behavior. For example, I was taught to sit with my legs crossed whether dressed in a dress or trousers. Furthermore, I was introduced to female chores, such as washing utensils and cooking and I loved accompanying my mother in the kitchen as she prepared our meals. During my early years, my father taught me to be gentle and avoid getting into trouble with boys. For example, when my brothers got into a brawl, I was advised to leave them and join my mother or report them to my father. In my teenage, my mother spent most of her time with me when I was away from school. She taught me about the physical changes to watch in the course of growing, which she termed as normal. Although she encouraged me to socialize with boys, she insisted on limiting the extent of relationships with members of the opposite gender. For example, I recall when I introduced Jones, who is my classmate, as my boyfriend to my mother. Although she liked the idea, she warned us against engaging in irresponsible intimacy and urged us to concentrate on school issues since we were young to start a family.
The American society appreciates heterosexuality to greater extents than other forms of sexual orientation (Brisson, 2012). However, the aspect of homosexuality is permeating the society with some states legalizing marriages between people of similar sex. However, from interaction with some of my friends, I realized that people are yet to embrace homosexuality, despite the government’s move to advocate the rights of these people. For example, one time my high school teacher requested us to write notes expressing our ideas and feelings about homosexuality. The majority of the students wrote how disgusted they feel when they learn that their friends or relatives are homosexuals. I also expressed my disappointments on learning that the government supports homosexuality. However, homosexuals encounter marginalization, despite the government’s campaign against different forms of discrimination. For example, I recall a case in which a suspect was subjected to body search to establish whether she was a female. Furthermore, when seeking legal and medical services, the government does not protect these people from unnecessary infringement of their privacy (Brisson, 2012).
Gender identity entails an innate feeling of whether a person is a male or female and it depends on social constructs. Conventionally, the society associates male traits with men, whereas feminine traits are linked to women (Brewster & Melrose, 2014). As a heterosexual female, I am expected to embrace feminine traits and behavior coupled in engaging in chores inclined to females. The Hispanic culture appreciates heterosexuality significantly. Although with the recent changes the society has started to appreciate other forms of sexual orientation, Hispanics can hardly associate with homosexuality openly. Furthermore, the Catholic faith, which I confess, condemns homosexuality highly. Although the society is appreciating homosexuality, I am privileged over the homosexuals, as people do not ridicule me among other forms of threats that pose psychological torture. Furthermore, in church, I am eligible to participate in most activities as Catholics bar homosexuals from participating in church activities, such as partaking of the Holy Communion.
My identity, as a heterosexual social worker, may contribute to homophobia because I realize that I am yet to embrace people of different sexual orientations. However, bearing this knowledge in mind, I am bound to embrace inclusiveness for me to treat different people equally. As a social worker, I am bound to encounter people from different cultural backgrounds, behaviors, and adherents to contradicting beliefs and identity.
The LGBT community
The LGBT community is an organization that fights for the rights of people, who subscribe to other forms of sexual orientation other than heterosexuality. The LGBT community started its activities in the 1970s to fight for the rights of gays, lesbians, and transgender persons among other people, who do not subscribe to heterosexuality (Brisson, 2012). Although the community advocates equality amongst members of the general population and members of this community, I believe that form of equality is not achievable for now. Furthermore, granting these people their full rights as they purport will contribute to moral decadence in society.
I believe that most members of this community developed homosexual habits due to peer influence and poor parenting. For example, in the course of growing up, my mother contributed to shaping me as a woman. She taught me how to behave around people and the extents of my relationships. For example, I recall when she warned me against kissing other girls in private coupled with teaching me that a hug or kiss was a way of greeting or expressing appreciation. From my mother’s presence during my childhood and adolescence, I believe that heterosexuality can be instilled through behavioral change. At adolescence, teenagers lack wisdom to do the right things and adopt appropriate behaviors without environmental influence. During this crucial development stage, most teenagers succumb to negative peer influence. In such a stage, parents should assume the responsibility of guiding their children toward embracing positive traits. When parents fail to watch their children’s behavior keenly, they may end in homosexuality as they emulate their peers. With prolonged homosexual practices and activities, they grow to adopt such habits and form part of their normal lives in adulthood (Brewster & Melrose, 2014). However, I do not rule out the possibility of genetic factors in shaping an individual as a homosexual. Although my family is against homosexual persons, after interacting with them, I learnt that they are normal people, but they subscribe to contradicting sexual orientation. Initially, I had a negative attitude toward members of the LGBT community. However, I have learnt to appreciate them as I have realized that I cannot blame them for their behaviors.
Prior to the1970s, the society and the government structures highly condemned these people, especially gays and lesbians. With the massive sensitization conducted by the LGBT community, the society has learnt to appreciate such persons. However, the community is yet to deal with homophobia entirely. Similarly, the government is to embrace issues raised by this community as characterized by some of the state’s failure to legalize gay marriages. According to the Constitution, it is against the law to subject citizens to unwarranted search and infringement into their privacy (Brisson, 2012). However, the case is different especially for homosexuals and transgender persons when getting access to medical and legal services. In such cases, these groups of people are subjected to body inspection in a bid to establish their sex prior to the determination of appropriate services to offer. In my opinion, such body searches entail an infringement of their basic rights that they should be granted by the virtue of being humans.
As a social worker, I have learnt to appreciate inclusiveness and appreciate people despite their sexual orientation. When working with people from the LGBT community, I learnt to free my mind and embrace openness to different opinions and perspectives. From close observation of people from the LGBT community, I realized that they were sensitive to issues of sexuality and they hardly tolerate criticisms concerning their sexual orientation. Apart from embracing openness, I ensured that LGBT persons trusted me to the extent of confiding in me their fears and worries, thus facilitating the process of coming out. In a bid to foster trust, I established close relationships with them and appreciated their sexual orientation and lifestyle, despite the prevailing homophobia in society. When dealing with children, who were brave enough to disclose their sexual orientation, I worked closely with their parents and participated in counseling services to foster behavioral change. With the adults, I helped them to get a professional counselor, who would offer behavioral therapy without interfering with their confidence.
Demographic characteristics
Demographic characteristics such as race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, gender, class, and religion among others can influence life experiences in either negative or positive ways. With reference to culture, the society through its institutions dictates the people’s behavior throughout different stages of development. For example, during childhood, children may be exposed to segregated environments such as Sunday schools in a bid to protect their innocence and foster acquisition of additional positive traits in the course of growth. Although such measures lead to the acquisition of positive traits, such children develop rigidity, thus failing to embrace diversity with the changes in society. In the periods prior the 20th century, the society recognized either nuclear or extended families in which it was the women’s roles to bear and nurture children on marriage (Roberts, 2009). However, in the recent times, the society has changed as characterized by the increment in the number of single-parent families and the rising rates of divorce. Strained relationships amongst divorced parents harm the children significantly. Furthermore, in such incomplete families, children lack sufficient parental care and guidance as the parent concentrates on his/her work to provide for the children. Researchers establish a direct link between ethnicity and social class (Roberts, 2009). In the American society, most minority groups belong to the lower social class as such families are exposed to limited economic opportunities to boost their incomes. For children born in middle-class families, they have higher chances of transitioning to the upper class as compared to those born and nurtured in lower class families. For the middle-class families, parents have average incomes, which are enough to cater for their children’s basic needs in addition to education and medical needs. However, due to lack of opportunities and means to finance medical and financial needs, the poverty cycle is evident in low-income families (Roberts, 2009).
Conclusion
As a heterosexual Hispanic woman, my parents have played a significant role in my acquisition of this identity. My mother participated significantly in ensuring that I behaved like a woman and acquired positive feminine traits. Although I had a negative attitude toward the LGBT community, I have learnt to appreciate them in the course of executing my duties as a social worker. However, the society is yet to embrace diversity and eliminate different forms of discrimination. From this analysis, it is evident that different demographic factors can contribute to either negative or positive life experiences. For example, a child born and raised in a poor family has higher chances of ending up as a poor adult as compared to children from middle and upper class families.
References
Brewster, P., & Melrose, J. (2014). Life experience and demographic influence on cognitive function in older adults. Neuropsychology, 28(6), 846-858.
Brisson, M. (2012). Welcoming and Celebrating Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity in Families. Toronto, Canada: Best Resource Center.
Roberts, A. (2009). Social workers’ desk reference. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.