Often the way we identify ourselves doesn’t match how others see us. But what’s it like to fall outside traditional definitions of something so core to identity, such as gender categories?
Participated in the Gene Lab? Follow up on your experience here.
Identity is a tapestry infuenced by many different factors and components. No single aspect of our personality ever defines us fully — or does it? You are the product of countless generations, yet what of your ancestors’ lives infuences the way you live yours? DNA coils inside every cell of your body, but is its impact on your day as prominent as the feedback on your latest Facebook status? Your collection of vivid memories and poignant stories may not define you as much as the seemingly forgettable encounters and events of a typical day.
Each facet of identity holds different weights for different people. What matters to you may not even register with the person next to you. The complexity of our relationships depends a great deal on how we identify ourselves, how we identify others, and how they identify us. The small differences among us create a palette of variety — living, breathing, evolving. Human.
But it all comes back to you. So consider this: what makes you, you?
