Please check one. What is your race?

1. Caucasian

2. African-American

3. Asian

4. Pacific-Islander

5. Other

On any given scantron sheet, it is not uncommon to find a question like the one above. But what if the person is a blend of different ethnicities and cultures? Are they supposed to simply chose one? What if they feel more comfortable with one "identity" over another? Why must we all be lumped into categories based off of one dimension?

After reading the articles, it appears as though the major themes relate to the idea of identity. In today's society, we put too much focus on the physical identity and characteristics of people. It is not uncommon to take one look at a person and suddenly categorize them, based solely on appearance. It is this emphasis on a person's outside that affects the individual and how people see them. They are simply pressured into becoming the person they think that everyone else sees. This is when individuality becomes scarce and is taken away.

According to the article written by Evelyn Alsultany, she states that "my body become marked with meaning as I enter public space. My identity fractures as I experience differing dislocations in multiple contexts" (292). This raises a very interesting point. People who can relate to different ethnic groups or races can essentially be picked apart and separated. Depending on the location of that particular person, they may either be berated or celebrated due to the identity the other people see them as. The first thing people will do is categorize someone based on appearances. If someone appears to fit the category of being "Jewish," that is ultimately the way they will be viewed and depending on the situation, that is how they will be treated. Society truly does judge. Appearance is everything. Appearance is identity.

Along with this idea of identity, Lauren Martin raises an interesting point in her piece. She says "Those of us who are not easily identified as Other are privy to information that is not readily available to those who cannot-or do not-pass. That is, we are witnesses to what 'you' really this of us, whether we want to hear or not" (9). Sometimes, "mistaken" identities can cause for "the truth to come out. In Martin's case, those around her did not know that she identified with the Jewish culture. Because of this, people would say very anti-Semitic remarks. This gave off the impression that what they say is what they believe. Since they believe there is no one to offend, they can say whatever they want. They don't take much consideration that identity is not always as clear as it seems. It also makes one wonder what how people would change if they knew someone true identity. Would they change the way the interacted? Would they act fake and cover their true selves?

Identity cannot be one answer. Everyone can identify with certain groups. It can change throughout ones life. People are always evolving. There is no clear cut rule to identity. Everyone is not what they may seem on the outside. No one should feel pressured to belong to one clear cut group.