I thought that the reading did a very good job of showing us how one might go about being true to ourselves while respecting others. I particularly loved The Story of My Body because Cofer did such a wonderful job of showing us just how differently one culture can see things from another. In Puerto Rico she was a beautiful white girl that everyone admired and in the US, she was odd, dark and small. I love how she mentions how out of place that she felt because she was too small for sports. A lot of people don’t understand how hard it is for children in the US who don’t play sports; it’s almost as if they are outcasts of society. I can’t imagine being an adolescent and being rejected by a boy; not because of your looks but because of your race.
As far as how I can better make work that is personal, authentic and true to myself while still being respectful…I think that the more that you know yourself, the better it is to do that. I think that if we are sincere and are doing things from the heart (as cheesy as that might sound), the purity of it will soften others’ hearts and let them understand that you mean no harm.
I definitely understand your comment on kids that don't play sports. I tried all through high school to get in on sports, but the fact just was that I wasn't good. That side of society is ignored a lot, or just depicted as being ignorant of the wonders of sports. Not to be resentful, because everyone has their own thing. Mine just happened to not be what everyone else liked.
ReplyDeleteI liked the difference between cultures that Cofer brought up, too. I have some experience, just within the same culture. I made a somewhat drastic change from a puny, classic nerd to the 6 foot person I am today. I noticed a major difference in the way others treated me throughout this transformation. I even had some girls refuse to dance with me based on my looks. It's not quite the same, but I'm relating it to what I know. I agree that the reading did a good job of showing truth to one's self.
Rhonda, I too enjoyed that article the most. The hardest part of that article is when she was all ready for the dance and then she gets the phone call from the boy saying he can't go because of her race. I like how you mentioned how difficult it would be growing up in the U.S. not being white. It has caused me to think deeper about the stereotypes we naturally think of without even realizing it sometimes. I would like to imagine myself as being non-judgmental and non-stereotypical of others, but the fact is, there are probably small things I do come to conclusions on that are not healthy; I think we all do to some extent. Your comments about sincerity I think are really important in helping us be true to ourselves and others.
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