- It is common for us to experience privilege in some contexts but be oppressed in others. Using Ajah Hale’s quote as inspiration, how would you describe your individual identity. How does this shift depending on situational or social context?
I am a 20-year-old female cis-gendered Christian black woman who is considered by society an average-sized, able-bodied immigrant from a middle-class family. I live with my family in a rented home and am completing my post-secondary education. Not being born in this country for me meant I had to learn to speak English. This is what my Individual Identity looks like. In a room surrounded by older people, my age is what stands out. In a room full of white people, is my race that does. Around Black men, my gender is my most salient Identity. There are times that multiple parts of my individual identity may shift depending on the situation or social context. For instance, in a room surrounded by Canadians who were born and raised in the land my status as an immigrant and my accent due to my learned English became my salient Identity. Another example is if I were to be placed in a room full of white men then My race and gender become my most salient Identity. Ajah Hales stated, “Saliency, is not limited to spaces that I enter as an oppressed minority, it also applies to spaces I enter as a member of the oppressive majority”. All the examples I have presented so far show Saliency as I enter as an oppressed minority, but since I also have my privileges there are times when I may stand out as the majority in a social category. For example, in a location with a larger amount of people with a significant disability, my ability is what stands out, or if walking along a street with a larger amount of number of homeless people my sheltered renting, home situation and middle-class status becomes my most salient Identity.
- Were there statements that caused you to think more than others? How do these statements connect with your power and privilege identified within your power flower?
- Yes, there were statements that caused me to think more than others but it wasn’t because I was unsure of the answer but more because I didn’t think that some of the statements could be placed in just a simple checkbox as they covered some complex topics or some situations that aren’t experienced all the times or that the answer would be specific to a particular situation, such as a specific job or neighborhood. These statements act as additional information that can be used to support my power flower as they provide examples of places or situations where the identifiers that benefit me in society, which would have been already presented in my power flower, grant me certain privileges and powers.
- Did any of these statements about social location cause you to reconsider the power and privilege originally illustrated on your power flower?
No, none of these statements about social location caused me to reconsider the power and privilege originally illustrated on my power flower. In fact, I believe that they acted as additional information that well supported the power and privilege demonstrated in my power flower.
- Reflect upon how identities may conflict depending on social location, power, and privilege.
I believe Ajah Hales in her quote demonstrated well how identities may conflict depending on social location, power, and privileges. A person’s Identity can help determine a person’s social location, but when in a place where one’s social location is different from others or where the minority becomes the majority the difference in power and privilege between people may cause a conflict with a person’s Identity. This can lead to people hiding out of fear, fighting back out of anger and power imbalance or corruption due to arrogance and egocentrism.