Iceberg Model
Transcript: upper-middle class talents/skills: artistic/creative sex: values: 17 years old adheres to no specific religion compassion equality justice gender: age: religion: socioeconomic status: girl race, ethniticy, culture: brown hair blue eyes short g language(s) spoken: beliefs: white skin european descent italian culture Iceberg Model I've been exceedingly fortunate in my upbringing, so much so that I wasn't even aware of the privilege I carried and what it afforded me. Privilege - an intricate debate of guilt for those who have it and an appetite that cannot be satisfied for those who don't. I am a white , upper-middle class, cis-gendered female who has genealogically been handed opportunity, abundance and luxury. I have no victim card to cash in. I'm lucky enough that the image I display to the world is representative of an ideal, however many are not granted that convenience. There are aspects of my identity that are visible to the human eye as well as some that cannot be seen. I've always wondered what it would be like to meet myself as if I was unfamiliar with who I was. What would I notice? What would I overlook? Not knowing myself is a pretty surreal concept to think about, as it's only reality I've ever known. However, in this hypothetical situation, I'd imagine I wouldn't hesitate to assume that I'm female considering I typically conform to traditional feminine traits. I wear makeup, I have long hair, and I display "typical" female mannerism (I think). Along with my gender identity comes my physical attributes - blue eyes, brown hair, the list could go on. My white skin is also apart of that list, although it equally represents my heritage, culture and where I come from, which is not a visible part of my identity. For example, As we steer away from my innate biological traits, comes the societal, and personal aspects of me. The fact that I'm in the upper-middle class is not due to my own hard work and climbing the socioeconomic ladder, but I've inherited it. And with that wealth, I've also inherited the lifestyle which is apart of me that is rather visible to the outside world. It's shown by the house I live in, the material items that I ow, and the education that is accessible to me. My ability to go into a field that I genuinely enjoy rather than something that is "realistic" is a reflection of my socioeconomic status. Art and creativity are a crucial parts of my identity and things that I believe influence my life purpose significantly. These characteristics are relatively concealed below my "iceberg of identity", but they can also act as ways in which I present myself, for example the clothes I wear. I would also classify the languages I speak, including french and english, as partly visible as well. Since they are spoken aloud, other's know that they are part of my identity but they also reflect my culture and the way I was brought up. Other components of myself that lie beneath the surface of the water (according to the iceberg metaphor), are religion, or in my case lack there of, the principles that I value and the notions I believe to be true. The iceberg of your identity plays a significant role in your role life; from the opportunities you are given to the way you are treated by others. I've been placed in a position where the characteristics I present visibly are favorable to the society I live in, and I'm grateful. It's one thing to have privilege, but it's another to recognize it. ...so, how visible is my identity? millennial/generation Z bilingual (english and french) of my identity generation: the law of attraction spirituality refracted consiousness revolution & social change female