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Jennifer Rodrick

QS115 Approaching University Writing


Jasslean Bracamontes
10/24/16
Societys affect with identities

Identity is the distinguishing character or personality of an individual


that describes the role we play in society (Hailee Parsons). Our surroundings
always have a change in our behaviors and actions but how far does one go
from hiding themselves? We may act a certain way at home or at school but
a majority of people feel as if they have to be forced to follow specific
guidelines society has created. Society has shaped queer identities
negatively by compelling them to feel ashamed of who they are, resulting in
them hiding their true self, pressuring them to fit a particular box or label
and preventing them to surround themselves with the people that bring
harm to them physically and mentally.
The LGBTQ community feel mortification due to the rules society has
implied, hence disguising their true identity. Morgana Bailey, from Kansas,
finally comes out with surprising news that she has been hiding for 16 years.
She had become the complete opposite of the person she grew up as, but
now she is very anti-social and hid herself from everyone. She understands
how if one keeps hiding, the harder it is to come out. In her Ted Talk video,
she finally comes out by stating she is a lesbian. She understands that the biggest

obstacles she will ever face in life are her own fears and insecurities but societys reaction over
her sexuality was so powerful, that it prevented her from announcing a characteristic that was a
big part of her life. She was afraid of not being accepted from her peers and didnt want to be
known as the lesbian Morgana. She just simply wanted to be Morgana. Sadly, society has
constructed individuals from the LGBTQ community to hide under the blankets to prevent
themselves from being publicly shamed. These laws obtain so much power over the queer
identities that are formed because it results in their eyes, as a disgrace in this space and shouldnt
be allowed no matter what. How can this be a land of the free if not one person can merely say
they are from the LGBTQ community without anyone else discriminating them and causing
them to avoid the pain it produces by covering their true identity.
Growing up we have always believed that the screen is either black or white, you are
either a girl or boy but there is always more to it. We always feel the necessity to fit a particular
box but the queer community has unfortunately been the ones to struggle the most out of
everyone. They sense that they have to be one or the other, that they are not allowed to be
anything else. Alexander is one individual who understands what it is to meet the requirements
expected from her grandmother. As stated in Trans-ventures of an F2M by Alexander Colin
Rasmussen, her grandmother continuously told her she had to be a specific type or complete a
certain action but it was never enough. For me, the desire to be perfect soon became a need. It
became a need. It became the reason that I lived, the reason I breathed. How, though, could I be
perfect if I had the wrong body? (Rasmussen 72 and 73). Not knowing the effect these labels
have on an individual is dangerous. Just like Alex experienced, all these obligations start to take
over your entire life. Trying to push down the decision of having to choose a specific box down
someones throat would only make things worse not only for them but for society as well. As a

consequence, the thoughts of not being able to just be you without having to pick a certain label
will only keep continuing for the next generations. Individuals will remain choosing the same
descriptions when they dont necessarily want to be put into one. They simply just want to be
who they are and us as peers, should only encourage them to do so.
Within time you see who your true loved ones are but as a result, you now determine
whether or not you still want them to be a part of your life. My uncle has always been afraid of
announcing he is gay so he decides not to do so. Unhappily, some of our family members have
stated their stand with the LGBTQ community and consequently, my uncle began thinking about
what to do after knowing this. Some of our close aunts and uncles have repeatedly, claimed that
individuals from the queer community are not real human beings, they are a disgrace to God and
should rot in hell. My uncle feels like he is obligated to abide by societys regulations but also
began thinking differently about our uncles and aunts. As much as he loved them, all their hateful
words were only damaging my uncle every day and sometimes he argues with them about how
those phrases are not true. Regrettably, my uncle has experienced some violence for attempting
to come out from the closet. In the end, he decided to live on everyday hearing those hurtful
words, only because he fears what would happen to him if he had not abided by our familys
beliefs. Society has forced individuals from the LGBTQ community not to break these
commandments but for this reason being, these people have to live everyday experiencing only
but hate from their loved ones. Having to decide whether or not to lose those you love or set
yourself free is something almost every LGBTQ individual has to encounter. One should not
have to go through any of this because it will only make it harder for them to come out.
Many may argue that someones gender is based on science and physical features,
but individuals from the queer community will always feel and know the person they truly are

inside. The image on the left hand side demonstrates how physical
features are nothing into defining an individual. These natural
aspects of people do not self-identify us, we believe we are who
we based on what we feel inside. Just as it is with others when
they may be skinny and beautiful on the outside, does not mean
they are not insecure inside. Those from the queer community
also feel their true identity comes from within but societys
judgments are so powerful on a person that they will try to
disregard their feelings and follow what others say. Images like the one portrayed on the left are
only teaching the younger ones to believe that is who they are, overlooking their feelings. We
should not be trying to put up a fight with our emotions just to avoid rejection from others.
As much as we want to be accepted into every group, that would never be the case.
Painfully, there will always be individuals who believe what they want, ignoring what may be
morally right. Power should not be given to them by the queer community because they will
always have to conform the ways they have been doing so for the past years. All of this makes it
seem like people from the LGBTQ community should be ashamed of being queer. Therefore,
society shaping their identities to be confirmative is only damaging everything and everyone. We
continue to allow society to take advantage of the power they receive and will continuously keep
having a strong influence on our identities, especially with the queer community. They maintain
to disguise their true identities and force themselves to fit into a specific box to make society
happy. They go through hate, violence and lose their true self with the beliefs of others.

Work Cited

Colin, Alexander. Trans-ventures of an F2M. New York: Knopf, 2006. Print

http://www.ted.com/talks/morgana_bailey_the_danger_of_hiding_who_you_ar
e
http://www.slideshare.net/pumascomm/queer-identity

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