Big Think

Jacoline Loewen on March 25, 2008, 8:34 AM

There is a range of identities from those that are more obvious (gender or race) to the more hidden (sexuality or education.) This range may be prioritized by others in a different order of importance. So my gender, for example, which is immediately obvious is not even near to the top of my list when I self identify.
Yet, my gender impacts my definition of a decent life due to the complication that the society around me defines how a decent life looks for a female.
For example, I have lived and worked in other countries where my female identity threw up massive road blocks to living the life I defined as decent u2013 that is being in business. If I am in a country where the men and women do not accept a female in the work world and the majority of women do not work outside of the home for profit, then my idea of a decent life in the business world may not be allowed.
And what significance does that have for others, including governments who want to regulate me? I am for tolerance of others and other life styles. If you want to live with your head in a bucket, by all means do so. It only worries me if the government first of all subsidizes those with heads in buckets to get on welfare because the bucket is off putting to employers, legislates business owners to hire people with heads in buckets or lastly, if the head in a bucket identity group wants me to take on this rather rigid and blinding identity.
I have made it trivial but I am so grateful to live in a Western society where being a female can be an aceptable identity in the work world. The significance is that I am contributing to North America not my country of birth that so vehemently rejects my defintion of a decent life due to my gender identity.
There should be 100 freedom to be allowed to explore and express those things myself and for others. I only can grow when I listen to other views whether given as respectful analysis or through implusive raging outpourings of anger. Get it out in the open. Nothing is fixed in stone. Change is always possible and I am confident I can affect a change in views through vigorous debate, maybe not with the debating partner but for those listening or reading.
I do not speak for all women here, just for myself, but I speak up when someone says something I do not agree with about women. I do not storm out and file a complaint.
Those women who run off to sue because a male has said something that does not fit their gender identity, what have they changed? They have scared the pants off the next male to speak his mind and lost the opportunity to debate and learn. They have also hurt my ability to be seen as a business woman first and not as someone to fill a gender quota. Worst of all, by shutting down comments on gender, it ironically weakens Western society's ability to address the true issues of gender.

Jacoline Loewen on March 25, 2008, 12:34 PM

There is a range of identities from those that are more obvious (gender or race) to the more hidden (sexuality or education.) This range may be prioritized by others in a different order of importance. So my gender, for example, which is immediately obvious is not even near to the top of my list when I self identify.
Yet, my gender impacts my definition of a decent life due to the complication that the society around me defines how a decent life looks for a female.
For example, I have lived and worked in other countries where my female identity threw up massive road blocks to living the life I defined as decent u2013 that is being in business. If I am in a country where the men and women do not accept a female in the work world and the majority of women do not work outside of the home for profit, then my idea of a decent life in the business world may not be allowed.
And what significance does that have for others, including governments who want to regulate me? I am for tolerance of others and other life styles. If you want to live with your head in a bucket, by all means do so. It only worries me if the government first of all subsidizes those with heads in buckets to get on welfare because the bucket is off putting to employers, legislates business owners to hire people with heads in buckets or lastly, if the head in a bucket identity group wants me to take on this rather rigid and blinding identity.
I have made it trivial but I am so grateful to live in a Western society where being a female can be an aceptable identity in the work world. The significance is that I am contributing to North America not my country of birth that so vehemently rejects my defintion of a decent life due to my gender identity.
There should be 100 freedom to be allowed to explore and express those things myself and for others. I only can grow when I listen to other views whether given as respectful analysis or through implusive raging outpourings of anger. Get it out in the open. Nothing is fixed in stone. Change is always possible and I am confident I can affect a change in views through vigorous debate, maybe not with the debating partner but for those listening or reading.
I do not speak for all women here, just for myself, but I speak up when someone says something I do not agree with about women. I do not storm out and file a complaint.
Those women who run off to sue because a male has said something that does not fit their gender identity, what have they changed? They have scared the pants off the next male to speak his mind and lost the opportunity to debate and learn. They have also hurt my ability to be seen as a business woman first and not as someone to fill a gender quota. Worst of all, by shutting down comments on gender, it ironically weakens Western society’s ability to address the true issues of gender.

David Mills on June 11, 2008, 3:52 PM

There's an error in the printed transcript. Prof. Appiah says he is of "Anglo-Ghanaian origin"… not "Anglican."

David Mills on June 11, 2008, 7:52 PM

There’s an error in the printed transcript. Prof. Appiah says he is of “Anglo-Ghanaian origin”… not “Anglican.”