Women Across Cultures

     This weeks reading Commonalities and Differences was interesting and also a great reminder that being a woman does not mean the same thing for all people. Some people operate under the assumption that because you are a woman, you are oppressed or affected in the same way as all other women. This may be the case if gender was the central and only aspect in the way we define ourselves but the truth of the matter is that there are numerous elements that compose self-identity. These include, but are not limited to, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and sexuality. It is a different experience to be a wealthy woman versus a poor woman just as it is different to be an Asian American woman versus a Caucasian woman. To discuss gender without factoring in other major components of self-identity leaves out the experiences of many.
     As far as oppression goes some women have to deal with it only in the sphere of gender while others see it in many aspects of their life. It is one thing to have to deal with oppression and discrimination only based on gender but another thing entirely if you also belong to minorities of race, class and socioeconomic status. I feel that it is important to keep this in mind when passing judgement or making generalizations. Just because you have gender in common with another person does not mean that you share the same experiences when it comes to gender.