Social Construction Of Identity

For a long time, identity has been a socially and historically constructed concept. Individuals learn about their identities through interacting with peers, organizations, institutions, and family. The daily connections that people make in their lives are known to have a significant impact on the construction of their identities. Gender, social class, age, ethnicity, and race determine the key facets of identity in the society. The elements play critical roles in shaping how individuals understand and develop the opportunities they face in the society. Social and cultural identities are inextricably linked to society 's value system, power issues, and ideologies. Over the years, the world has devised various ways to help understand how identities

One of the virtues that my parents instilled in us is the need to respect each other and treat all people equally irrespective of their background, social status, and race. Their interventions have played key roles in ensuring that we grow as people of integrity, honor, and value the family system. In my culture and Islam there are certain roles that expected by the people in a family. The father must be wise and must know what’s best for his family. He is the provider; he should provide what is needed by the family. A mother has a more emotional role in the family. She takes care of the children and raises them to become responsible people in society. The brothers usually have a role in helping the father and the sisters usually have a role in helping the mother. These are the roles expected by Islam. However Islam is 1400-year-old religion. So it is expected that some things do change. With times changing, more requirements are demanded. Prices are going up, and having only one provider is not enough. Here is where my cultural identity overlaps with my Islamic identity. In Islam it is conventional for the mother to only take care of the family and basically just be a stay at home wife. Her only job is to cook clean and take care of the children while the husband is working in order to provide for the family. Now with the change in culture it is unconventional for that to happen. Both the father and mother provide for their family. My family stressed that while the society relegates particular duties to particular genders, it would be ideal if we were able to develop skills for both genders and learn how to meet our needs irrespective of the presence of another gender. By doing so, our parents enabled us to see the potential of each of the genders, rather than associating other people as weaker or stronger gender. Today, I do not perceive certain roles to be