Written by: Aidan Feskorn & Sofia Braz
Identity and self-expression are vital points of who we are as people. It helps show ourselves through expression to those around us. Identity as a concept encompasses more than just who someone is attracted to or what pronouns they use; identity is everything that defines who you are. Therefore, respecting someone’s identity is respecting them as a person, but that also means disrespecting someone's identity is possible.
Identity is more than just who someone likes or what someone wants to be called.
Identity is "who you are. It’s the essence of your being”, said to Mikendra McCoy.
The extent of identity reaches anything that makes an individual, like interests, hobbies, personality, etc. The “diamond thousand facets” of each person are shaped by our experiences and make us all incredibly unique.
However, if we change those facets of ourselves to try to change the people around us, we can never appreciate who we are.
As McCoy also said, “I think I love the diamond thousand facets of who I am. The flip side is that you might get lost in those thousand facets and who you are may never exist if you are trying to appease what people perceive.”
Someone's identity can only be truly accepted, understood, and loved if their identity is the truest reflection of who they are.