I studied identity and self at university many years ago, so I have half remembered frameworks floating around in the back of my mind. I could do my research and find all my sources (because I still have all my readers, textbooks and work assignments) but I felt I just had to get this down in words or it would never happen. I can always come back and add references as I refine my ideas…
It can be understood that self has 2 basic components, an personal sense that you control by choices you make, and a external perception within society where other people make assumptions about you. Basically what you think about yourself and what other people think about you.
Labels can be ones you choose for yourself or are assigned to you by others. Labels are everywhere and most are not questioned or cause reaction. There is no reaction to these because you have in someway chosen or feel that they are accurate. Your job description, your generation moniker, your hair colour, your nationality.
But society works on defaults, so it is possible for externally applied labels to be ill-fitting or wrong, which leads to questioning. Finding a label can be cathartic, or bring a sense of freedom and community. That is when you are accepting a label you have found that fits your own sense of self.
When you are confronted by people in society labeling you with words defining their perception of you, things you may not have thought of (let alone questioned) or simply have a gut reaction against, things get painful*. Most of the discussion I have seen is in regards to gender and pronouns, but I remember a bit of argument just after I joined Arocalypse surrounding the use of alloromantic.
( My Aromantic Section )
*That is why most forums have rules about labeling others, and pronouns are made explicit in introductions or profiles.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
