Introduction
According to Poerwandari, “autoethnography is a qualitative research method that combines a life story with a scientific description of peoples and cultures, including their customs, habits, and distinctions, to understand an individual’s experiences in a cultural context” (319). This autoethnography explores how gender, race, and sexuality affect personal and academic encounters. Identity requires understanding interdependence and social justice. I will explore how social norms and expectations shape my gender, ethnicity, and sexual experiences. The autoethnography will conclude with a discussion of how these findings affect personal and social change and future studies.
Thesis Statement
The proposed autoethnography investigates the interrelationship of gender, race, and sexuality, as well as their effect on individual experiences, researching how social norms and expectations shape identity, and highlighting the need for intersectional social justice to effect personal and social transformation.
Literature Review
Autoethnography is a research method that leverages personal experiences to gain insights into broader social concerns. “Autoethnography” by Tony E. Adams, Carolyn Ellis, and Stacy Holman Jones covers the autoethnographic approach’s history, theoretical basis, and major aspects. The authors emphasize reflexivity, or self-awareness, and the importance of balancing personal experience with broader social, cultural, and historical contexts. “Freaks and Queers” by Eli Clare is an autoethnographic book on the author’s experiences as a disabled queer person. Personal stories illuminate larger social themes like the interplay of ableism and homophobia and how mainstream culture pathologizes and stigmatizes marginalized groups.
Gender
Judith Butler’s “Gender Trouble” is an autoethnographic book that explores gender norms. Butler argues that gender is socially constructed and maintained through everyday behaviors and discourses. Cultural expectations, familial upbringing, and personal identity have all influenced my gender experiences. As a cisgender woman, I have felt pressure to conform to traditional gender norms such as being loving, emotional, and submissive. I have also benefited from conforming to gender norms, such as being able to access social networks and opportunities that gender non-conformists may not.
Race
It is important to acknowledge that race is a socially constructed identity shaped by cultural, historical, and political factors. Media, education, and politics can perpetuate racial stereotypes and biases, affecting the treatment and opportunities of people of different races. Scholarly research on race has shown that different races may experience distinct types of prejudice and oppression. African Americans have suffered institutional racism and discrimination in housing, education, and employment, which can affect their health, income, and social mobility. Forced relocation, assimilation, and cultural erasure have also plagued Indigenous peoples worldwide. The intersectionality of race with gender, class, and sexuality can compound the injustice, affecting people differently. For example, Black women may experience both racism and sexism, making work and healthcare more challenging.
Sexuality
Sexual norms can shape individuals’ experiences. Heteronormative norms can make non-heterosexual urges or acts shameful, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer people may feel marginalized and discriminated against. Sexual identity is multifaceted, covering attraction, behavior, and identity. Sexual minorities are also more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and drug misuse due to the stress of living in a heteronormative culture. Comparing the lives of people with different sexual orientations can highlight how cultural standards affect various populations. Bisexual people may face specific forms of prejudice, such as perceptions of promiscuity and untrustworthiness, unlike lesbian and gay people. When studying sexuality and social norms, intersectionality is crucial, particularly for multi-marginalized people, such as Black transgender individuals or low-income bisexual women, who may face various forms of prejudice and persecution.
Conclusion
In this autoethnography, I have explored my experiences with gender, race, and sexuality and how social norms and expectations have shaped them. Understanding the intersectionality of these identities is crucial in comprehending identity and the need
Works Cited
Poerwandari, Elizabeth Kristi. “Minimizing bias and maximizing the potential strengths of autoethnography as a narrative research.” Japanese Psychological Research 63.4 (2021): 310-323.
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