Chapter 33
Identities on display
Look at the above portraits. What are your assumptions about each of their identities?
Our appearance – clothing, hair,
tattoos, accessories, posture, grooming, even how we move – is a visual
language that expresses who we are, what we value, and how we want others to
see us.
Here’s a simple quiz. Match the following
clothing styles with a person’s life stage (Your choices are Youth, Adulthood, and
Elderly):
- Bright colors, piercings, ironic or playful fashion
- Practical clothing, comfort is prioritized
- Professional attire, neutral tones
Too simple, right? Let’s try another
test. Consider the following subcultures and picture what people identifying
with each of them looks like: Punk. Goth. Skater, hip-hop, gamer and Cosplay.
I’ll bet that was also easy. Our appearance reveals our identities in so many
ways.
Traditional clothing such as the sari, kimono, Kente cloth, and kippah expresses heritage, cultural pride, and belonging. Hairstyles
and head coverings like dreadlocks, braids, turbans, hijabs, and yarmulkes signal cultural, spiritual, or resistance to assimilation. Jewelry and
ornamentation, such as Maasai beadwork, Celtic knots, Native American turquoise, and tribal-motif tattoos, carry deep symbolic meanings. They serve as
wearable expressions of origin, faith, or pride. Lapel pins and t-shirts can
broadcast ideological alignment (American flag, Pride flag, BLM shirts)
People may declare their individualism
by donning bright hair colors, asymmetrical cuts, vintage or handmade clothes,
mixed aesthetics. After a major change (divorce or illness) appearance can
announce the shift as a visual reset of self (e.g., short haircut). Some others
go to a minimalist style in an effort to eschew labels. Of course, lack of a
style is a style statement.
Uniforms such as a doctor’s coat,
firefighter’s gear, chef’s hat express not just occupation but authority and
purpose. Even subtle choices like business suits vs. casual startup wear signal company culture. For example, when I went to work one day at Boeing in shorts,
I was reprimanded by my supervisor for not wearing slacks. A year later, while working at Microsoft, I was chided by coworkers for wearing slacks rather than shorts. There are
standards, you know!
Of course, all of the above are
generalities and stereotypes. But there is a strong positive correlation
between our outward appearance and our inner world or at least our aspirations
for our inner world. These are some of the messages we send: “I belong to this
heritage”; “This is my role or profession”; “These are my beliefs”; “This is
what I value”; “This is who I feel I am”. Even so, humans are complex animals. What
should we think of a young fellow wearing a Cesar Chavez t-shirt and a MAGA
cap? Perhaps he can reconcile the contrast. Then again, the poor guy might be
conflicted.
But before we turn the page to Chapter 34,
here is one last point regarding the choices we make to display our identities.
Just as we tend to dress ourselves in attire consistent with our inner identities
and/or those of the groups and businesses we wish to blend in with, so too do
we tend to attempt the reverse. That is, it is a human nature tendency to
decorate the environments in which we live to reflect our personalities and
identities. As an example, my first dorm room was plastered with Fillmore rock posters. The day RFK was assassinated (1968), I reversed them
all, so only their white backs showed. It was as if, for the following week, I relinquished
my identity in an observance of national grief.
And speaking of politicians, when
elected, many (Most? All?) set about making their city, or state, or country a
reflection of not just their beliefs and values, but also their identity. So,
when we, as voters, mark our ballots, we should do more than look at the issues; we should take a close look at their identities as reflected in the personal
environments they create.