Who are we. Assignment Questions. Social and Economic Class
Assignment Questions
In order to complete this assignment, you will answer the following questions in essay format. This formal paper will be formatted using 12-point font and double spacing with an expected length is 2500 words maximum.
Social and Economic Class
Into what social and economic class (SES) were you born? If this changed over time, how did it change? How did you know you belonged to this SES? What messages have you received about those who are of a different SES as you?
Gender Identity
How do you express your gender identity? If this changed over time, how did it change? What messages have you received about your gender identity? Where did you receive these messages? How have these messages shaped your current thought about those who are of the same/different gender identity as you? Give at least two specific examples of how your gender identity affects your life.
Racial/Ethnic Identity
How do you identify racially/ethnically? Has this changed over time? If it has changed, how has it changed? What messages have you received about your ascribed-to race/ethnicity? What messages have you received about those who are of a different racial/ethnic group? How have these messages shaped your current thought about those who ascribe to the same racial/ethnic group? How have these messages shaped your current thought about those who ascribe to a different racial/ethnic group? Give at least two specific examples of how your race/ethnicity has affected your life.
Critical Reflection
Considering the answers you provided to the above questions, which were most difficult to answer? Why were they difficult to answer? Did marginalization or benefits associated with the identity impact the discomfort or difficulty in answering any question? Was it difficulty because the sharing of your identities holds some feeling of vulnerability? In other words, are you not accustomed to sharing personal information with people (in this case faculty) whom you do not share some level of an intimate relationship (like friends and family)? Consider how often social work clients’ information (identity, trauma histories, consequences of addiction struggles, interpersonal violence) are shared through case notes that you may be reading as you begin your field placement. In the Who Are We? assignment, you have control of the narrative. You can tell your story as you would like the reader to absorb it. Case notes, on the other hand, are a client’s story told through the eyes of a clinician, filtered through the clinician’s value system.
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Social and Economic Class
Socioeconomic status is the class of an individual or a family. Often measured as a combination of education, income and occupation, socioeconomic status is used to represent an economic difference. It is often categorized into three main levels or types: high, middle and low.
These three levels are usually further broken down into roughly five more classes. First one is the Upper Class or the Elite. It is the highest status in the society. It consists of the institutional leaders and heads of multinational corporations, foundations and universities. Another subtype to the upper class status is the capitalist elite. They are owners of lands, stocks and other assets. In other words, they are the ones whose wealth is derived from what they own.
Then there is the Upper Middle class. This is the status given to the people that represent scientific and or technical knowledge. They are the engineers, accountants, lawyers, and other similar professions. They are known to have both high incomes and social prestige. Another type of the middle class is the Lower Middle class. They are the ones that provide support to the professionals. Examples of these are record keepers, paralegals, bank tellers and similar jobs. Blue-collar workers in skilled trades are also considered to be part of this status type.
Aside from the above-mentioned, there is the Working Class. This status type consists of the craft workers, labourers, et cetera. Then there is the Poor. Though there is a sub-type Working Poor, their wages still put them below the poverty line.
Though it is ideal to be born in the upper levels, I was fortunate enough to be born into a middle class family, but more specifically into a lower middle class family. This is because my parents are blue-collar workers. They had multiple jobs to support me and my siblings. Life wasn’t easy but it was not hard either.
Sure we had to learn to live practically because we did not have the financial freedom as the people in the higher class. But we had the chance for a good college education unlike those below the poverty line. Growing up, my parents and elders often tell us how fortunate we are and that we should be thankful of what we have. Not everyone has the opportunity at life as we did.
Eventually, when my siblings had finished their college education, and thankfully they did, they graduated and worked as professionals. They were earning enough to support me in my education until I graduate. Until then, as long as my siblings do not marry yet, I consider my family to belong in the upper middle class. I know my parents worked very hard for us, their children, to graduate have a good chance at life and work as professionals. I know their dream is for us to live a much better life than they had.
Gender Identity
Gender identity is the personal understanding of oneself as male or female. Occasionally, some individuals consider themselves both or neither male or female. It is intimately related to the outward manifestations of personality that reflect their gender identity.
From childhood, I was mildly introduced to the concept that not everyone is just boy or girl. Though, biologically, those are the only types. I had relatives and family friends that are part of the LGBTQ community. It was very confusing at first, especially, at a young age. I did not know how to call them. I was confused as to whether I should call my gay relative “auntie” or “uncle”. I knew it would be offensive if I called them the wrong one. I ended up avoiding them at family reunions.
Growing up, I came to realize that it wasn’t just my uncle and her friends who idenrified as LGBTQ. I had schoolmates that showed traits just like my uncle. Others were showy of their gender identity while the others were not. They even deny it. It may be because of the stigma and discrimination people like them often get. It was sad really. To be discriminated just because of your gender identity.
By this day and age, the society has somehow accepted whatever the gender identity of an individual is. Though still not everyone is fine with the concept, the society grew to accept it. I express my gender identity freely, just like everyone else. Even though I was exposed to the diverse gender identities early, it did not affect my own gender identity. I have remained the same. The only thing that changed over time is my perspective on people that classified themselves differently from the usual.
Being straight, if there is such a thing, is deemed normal to the society. That is why I don’t have as much of a problem as the others. I express myself as female freely. Though there is still the thinking that if you are female, you have to like certain things, do certain stuff. The same goes if you are male. It is hard to go by and accept this if you want it differently. I am lucky to have a family that accepts what I am and what I like. But as soon as I step outside, one can feel the stress being put on you when you have a different opinion on something. At school, for example, just because I do enjoy playing or watching sports some people think that I am not straight. Just because of that I have been a target of low profile...