My Social Autobiography

Socio-Autobiography Project

Socio-Autobiographical Background

Early Life

I was born in Morgantown, West Virginia, and raised in Elkins, West Virginia. Elkins is a small mountainous town of approximately 8,000 people. I grew up in a conservative middle class household, living with my mother, a teacher, my father, a pastor, and my brother, who is also a pastor.

History

Significant historical events that have influenced my socialization include the War on Terror, the economic crisis of 2008, the Gay and Lesbian Rights movement, the third-wave and fourth-wave feminist movements, as well as rapid technological advancements. The War on Terror created a fearful environment, worsened by the attacks on September 11, 2001. The continued War on Terror

My parents socialized me with traditional female gender norms, and formal organizations such as school and church shaped my beliefs about myself and others. Mass media, through television, internet, radio, and social media has bombarded me with current events and expectations, often with conservative or liberal biases. My parents exposed me to conservative mass media in our home, but the majority of my peers preferred liberal mass media, regardless of religious background. The ability to identify with others through cyberspace interactions has caused people, including myself, to be less fearful of breaking cultural norms, as people can congregate and support one another

Social change throughout generations affects cultural norms, and it is often a series of smaller events that end up creating substantial change. Racism, prejudice, discrimination, and sexism were more culturally accepted as Margaret was growing up prior to the Civil Rights Movement, and while society is working towards change, they are still common problems that I see daily. As females, both Margaret and I have faced and continue to face discrimination through many situations, outlined by the gender inequality index. We both face injustice in the labor market, exhibited through Margaret’s secretarial work and my work as a waitress. There are expected gender roles that dictate what is “possible” for women. Empowerment, our ability to break free from these expectations, has been a part of the third-wave and fourth-wave feminist movements, giving me a greater chance of eventually participating in a gender-equal society. Margaret was expected to marry and did, but I have yet to find a spouse. The feminization of poverty is exhibited in both of our lives, through her need to get married for financial stability, and my pressure to become empowered or rely on a male spouse for a greater combined income, due to the wage gap. Sexuality was not a choice for Margaret—sexual identity and sexual orientation were more strictly enforced through gender