- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Mark Topic as New
- Mark Topic as Read
- Float this Topic for Current User
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Mute
- Printer Friendly Page
Live GR: Identity and Self-Acceptance, 9th of September, 7:30 pm AEST
Hey everyone, I hope you're all going okay 🙂
Get excited because we'll be having a live Getting Real chat on 'Identity and Self-Acceptance' this Wednesday at 7:30pm!
We'll be exploring the meaning of identity and self-acceptance and why they can be so important to us. Where does our sense of identity come from? Is living in line with our values important to maintaining our sense of self? (those are rhetorical questions to think on before the discussion :p)
2020 has been a strange year- but it's certainly given many of us time to reflect on how we see ourselves. This should be an interesting discussion and I hope to see you there! 🙂
Until then, take care! 😄
Hi @Remi! All you have to do is keep up with this thread and answer the questions we'll be posting 🙂 We'll be starting shortly.
Hi @wanderingwasp! If you want to ask some of the questions, there's a link in the Chats About Chats section for this GR. It's okay if you don't want to though 🙂
Here's our first question:
What is identity? Where does our sense of self come from?
Hearing everyone’s ideas about identity and sense of self has really made me consider new aspects of the concept like memories, how you’ve been brought up, school environment and past experiences and looking inwardly vs how others perceive us. I love how everyone has such a unique viewpoint!
I think identity is basically everything important we associate ourselves with or have a connection to. Our sense of identity is influenced by an array of factors, such as our environment, our cultural heritage, sexuality and gender. Identity is not fixed, and past and present circumstances and events can also change our sense of self. This is just one way of interpreting identity, and whatever our identity, is valid!
So excited to chat with you all, I'll be popping in and out but looking forward to reading everyone's replies if I miss any!
What is identity? Where does our sense of self come from?
Big question! Identity comes from a lot of places, even in areas we may not be aware of (for example you may think the school you go to doesn't affect who you are, but if you are wearing your school uniform then that counts as a part of identity). It can come from who you hang out with, what your interests are, your cultural background, your family, your sexuality... potentially, anything that that a person can be or do can relate back to an identity! A sense of self is a little the same, but is more about looking inwards and seeing how you identify yourself, rather than how others may identify you.
@Hozzles The school uniform affecting perception of identity kind of reminds me of how in one of the high schools I went to, they didn't like us turning up to McDonald's or hanging out at places after school in our school uniforms because they were worried that we would negatively affect the reputation of the school.
@WheresMySquishyhaha I remember my school had that policy too
@celestialdreamer that's great you've got some new ways of looking at identity! This is why live chats are awesome 😛
Hmm...not sure. I know that at any point I can take a moment to consider my sense of identity and know "yep, this name is who I am, my gender is currently doing [this] (currently somewhere between demigirl and enby), I like this and that and these things".
But I'm not really sure how I know that; I just...do? I have learned over the past year or so to understand that internal sense better, but I don't know what it is, not really
I've had those sorts of experiences too @Remi! There have been times where I didn't know when something became a part of my identity, it had just always been a part of who I am.
I find these questions so tricky to answer. I just did a subject at uni that involved looking at our culture and identity and it's not something I actively think about so I find defining it really hard but I think identity is made up of lots of different things, maybe our personality, how we respond to things, our beliefs, interests, values, hobbies etc. I think our sense of self comes from the things and people we surround ourself with.
I've kind of realised it is so easy to lost your sense of self when something changes in your life. Like, identity is not a fixed thing, a lot of what we perceive as us comes from what's going on in the world around us? With covid and everything, people might have lost their jobs/hobies/etc and feel lost because that was a big part of who they were
@Lost_Space_Explorer5 @wanderingwasp I also think that our values and sense of self can be shaped by our past experiences. For example, someone who's been betrayed by someone who hasn't been honest with them might value honesty. The way that someone has been brought up by their parents has also been known to influence how they act in future relationships, or their attachment style.
@WheresMySquishy definitely!
Everything I've been through this year has shaped what my identity is now; how I was brought up and what I did as a kid has provided a foundation of sorts for the identity I now have
Next Question! How can someone explore or connect more deeply with their identity?
This is an interesting question. I think what Remi was saying about not having the words is so important. How do we find the words? I guess by talking to lots of different people and finding out all we can about the world and who we are. Trying new things, asking yourself questions you've always been afraid of asking, expressing ourselves as we truly are, finding people who understand us and who we can openly talk to
Bringing a trans perspective to this again, but:
For most of my life I wasn't in a space where it was safe for me to explore or connect with many aspects of my identity, and when I had the freedom and safety to experiment and explore, I really learned so much about myself
Hey @Remi I'm so glad you found a safe space to explore your identity in! Being able to express ourselves is so important, and nobody should ever feel invalidated for their sense of self.
Ooh this is an interesting question. Because your hobbies and interests can form an integral part of your identity, I think one good way could be to find other people with similar interests or hobbies to you! For example, universities have clubs and societies that specialise in specific cultural backgrounds and have LGBTQIA+ groups. I think by connecting with others who have similar interests or experiences, you'll be able to learn more about yourself and find your sense of identity!
How can someone explore or connect more deeply with their identity?
There are so many ways, and I guess you can be creative! For example, you can research (e.g. go on websites that have more information that might be of relevance for exploring your identity, asking family members about family history, etc), you can find a group and surround yourself with people of a similar identity (there's clubs for everything! Pride clubs, multicultural clubs, clubs for people that like board games... they're all a part of an identity!). Another good way is through art/ setting projects for yourself, or being mindful of where your identity intersects with your goals!