Everything we do is identity politics. “Identity politics” is quite the loaded term, but it is hard to truly define. Part of what makes “identity politics” such a hard term to define is the fact that the word “identity” is equally hard to define. “Identity” is a word that has a different meaning to each person because, well, each person has a different identity. I am going to examine the different facets of identity in order to come up with a definition to help understand the meaning of identity politics.
“Identity” is a word that on the surface seems simple. It asks the question “who are you?” But the endless number of groups to identify with and the pressure from society to be a certain person make this a very difficult question for most people to answer. I know that if I was asked “who are you?” I would not be able to answer it without quite a bit of thought. I probably would not be able to answer it in a single sentence either. Recent politics have also brought the idea of identity into a greater light. Same-sex marriage in the United States was legalized less than five years ago, and remains a hot topic. Even in 2019 states are still passing legislation concerning legal recognition of gender identity. Because of these issues being in the political light, most people will think about sexuality and gender identity when they hear the word “identity.” Matthew Yglesias discussed in an article he wrote the widespread belief that “identity is something only women or African-Americans or perhaps LGBT people have” (Yglesias). There is definitely an association between identity and being part of a marginalized group. Some people embrace this, while others contest that demographics don’t describe who a person is and identity is deeper than that. There are so many different views on identity, so coming up with a single definition is not an easy task.
The main question I have about identity is whether it is something you choose or something that is natural about you. Some people may claim that your identity is everything about you: your appearance, personality, age, nationality, sexuality, gender, height, or anything else that is a characteristic of yourself. Others say that your identity is only what you choose it to be–that every person can decide what they identify as, and once they make the decision, that becomes their identity. These two viewpoints both have their merits, and it is hard to choose one over the other.
Identity, because it is centered on the individual and who they are, is not a decision anyone can make for someone else. At the same time, however, identity is not just personal. We all have group identities that we can’t escape. For example, if someone was born in the United States and lived there for a significant amount of time, that nation of origin is a part of them, and they cannot change this. Someone might choose not to identify as “American” because they don’t approve of what they believe America stands for and they don’t want America to represent them as a term, but is this changing the fact that they were indeed born and raised in America? No. At least some part of our identity is not controllable, but we can control what labels we use. Some people are part of a group and yet don’t identify with the label that group uses. Bryan Lowder discusses this in his article “What Was Gay,” where he talks about the word “Gay” and the connotations it brings, and how he as a homosexual man feels about it (Lowder). Is this valid? My answer is yes, because words are complex and not static, so the meaning of a single word can be impactful and different to different people.
There is another facet of identity, the way you are seen by others. No matter what you do, you can’t stop people from forming their own opinions about you based on how they view you. In the same way, you can’t stop yourself from forming opinions about others. Every person will have an idea about other people’s identity- whether or not it matches with what that person thinks about their self. Elizabeth Bowerman mentioned in an article she wrote how what other people believe about us can change our identity. For example, “Those who think that they are wise choose smart choices” (Bowerman). So, is someone’s idea about you part of your identity? I believe that it is. My reasoning for this is simple. Identity doesn’t have meaning in the context of just one person. A single person has no need for identity, because you are just you. Nothing to compare yourself to. Identity comes into play in the context of social interactions, because here is when the idea of self and who you are actually matters. Of course, people have what they consider their personal identity, but the identity that other people see is what will actually affect things.
I have come up with four different factors of identity- natural characteristics, chosen identity, labels, and how others see you. Combining these factors, I have come up with a hodge-podge definition of identity: “The impression of a person that is shown through their characteristics and the terms with which they define themselves.” This definition is an attempt to take into account both someone’s chosen identity as well as the parts of identity that are beyond their choice, such as their circumstances and the way others see them. Note that because some of the characteristics of identity are changing, an identity is not permanent, but rather is a forever changing part of a person.
Now that we have a definition for identity, how can we define identity politics? The simple way to put it is “Politics involving Identity.” What does this mean? I would argue that all politics are identity politics. Anything that involves people, involves identity, because everyone has one. Every time we communicate with someone, which we are almost always doing, we take into account everything we know about them and who they are. Suppose you are with two friends and you decide to eat out for lunch. One of them suggests a certain restaurant, but you know that the other friend isn’t doing well financially and can’t afford to eat there. You suggest going to a cheaper restaurant instead. This simple interaction is full of examples of identity affecting our decisions. You made the decision to eat at the cheaper restaurant based on your friend’s identity. While they may not want “low on money,” a temporary situation to become their identity, it can’t be stopped. Their current financial status has an effect on your perception of them, and therefore becomes part of their identity. You have based your decision on your perception of your friend’s identity, therefore exercising “identity politics” in a simple way. It is evident that everything we do is influenced by our opinions on others, or, their identity.
While there are so many different ideas as to what identity means, it can be simplified as who people think they are and who others think they are. And whatever we do, it will always be affected by the identity of others. Identity politics occurs in every level of life, and there is nothing we can do to stop it. The question, then, is not will you make decisions based on identity, but rather how will you make decisions based on identity.
Works Cited:
Yglesias, Matthew. “All politics is identity politics.” Vox. 05 June 2015. Vox. 04 Oct. 2019 https://www.vox.com/2015/1/29/7945119/all-politics-is-identity-politics
Lowder, J. Bryan. “I Was Born Homosexual. I Chose to Be Gay.” Slate Magazine. 12 May 2015. Slate. 04 Oct. 2019 https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2015/05/can-you-be-homosexual-without-being-gay-the-future-of-cruising-drag-and-camp-in-a-post-closet-world.html
Bowerman, Elizabeth. “What Is Identity And Who Creates It?” The Odyssey Online, The Odyssey Online, 15 Oct. 2019, www.theodysseyonline.com/examining-identity