Henslin shares the idea of masculinity and femininity is not biologically determined, but it is instead learned (Henslin, 2007:161). He shares how they are defined by not only by the color of clothes they wear, such as blue for boys and pink for girls, but also what they play with and how they play.

Henslin believes nurture has more of a factor in how boys are taught to behave. I have to disagree with him on this. My husband and I went our separate ways when my son wasn’t a month old. I raised him with my daughter, and it was just the three of us for his first five years of life. My son would make statements to his sister and me that “he was a man.” He could do things girls could not do because he was one. I never shared these thoughts that a woman was less than a man in any way.

On the contrary, I raised him that women can do many things men could and should not make such statements. His biological father was extremely machismo with the same ideas, and men were superior to women. I believe nature is also a defining factor.

It is acceptable for boys to be rough, tough, dirty, and fouled mouth. When they are caught doing these things adults respond with the “boys will be boys” as if they are confirming this behavior is not only expected but also acceptable. They are allowed more freedom than girls to explore their communities because boys are supposed to be tough and resilient enough to care for themselves, unlike girls who are fragile and defenseless.

Unfortunately, if boys demonstrate any emotions or wear any clothing that is not considered masculine, they are ridiculed. They are called names such as “sissy,” “gay,” and so on to point out they are not behaving as guys should. They will point they are acting or looking like a girl that is demeaning to a boy.

Henslin may believe nurture has a more significant part of how a boy learns how to behave. I think both nature and nurture play a role. One thing I can agree with Henslin is society does have a set standard of behaviors they are expected to perform while out in public.

I spoke with five individuals to ask them which race they identify with. Each person I met with, I intentionally chose because they are multiracial. It could have been easier for me to ask my Mexican family members what they identified with, but I felt that was too easy. The majority of the participants had one Caucasian parent.

I chose individuals who were in their 20’s, 30’s and 50+ years of age. The 20-year-old’s stated that race to them was a box to check off on a job, school application, etc. but they felt they chose a race which would benefit them. One young lady said she was applying for a school she knew was seeking out minorities. She indicated she is of Mexican descent. All of them said they do not state they are Caucasian but rather their “colored” side first. I asked why they had not. Many said because others would identify them by the color of their skin or the texture of their hair. Two who are light-skinned stated they enjoy saying they are Mexican, Filipino, Japanese, or etc. first because others are taken back. People have admitted they thought they were “white.” In other words, if they found themselves in a situation that sought out minorities they had no problem indicating they were.

The 30-year-old’s and older were taught to identify with what their father identified with. If their father was African-American and their mother was of another race, it didn’t matter. It was as if they took on this identification as they traditionally took on their father’s last name. They were African-Americans, and their mother’s race would be brought up either for a shock factor or to be able to identify with others.

I asked how their race was discussed in their family for them to identify themselves. It all started with food. They shared during family gatherings their elders would speak their native language, share stories about their home country, and share foods that was part of their culture. This would create curiosity amongst them, and they’d inquire from their elders about their lineage.

They all admit they “attempt” to gauge other’s race by the color of their skin or the way they talk or behave. Reminds me of one reading by Clarence Page, “Showing My Color.” Individuals of colored are taught to not show their color by losing their “cool.” It also means they can get loud and talk slang, etc. when showing their color.

I have to agree with the younger generation. A race is merely a”box” or category society places individuals in to suit themselves. I grew up hearing I am Mexican. I am a Chicana ( a first generation person born in the United States from parents who were born in Mexico). I am not Mexican since I was born in the United States. This makes me American. I should not indicate I am a Latina because that means of European descent, which I am, both great grandmothers are from Spain. Nowadays, I should only note Latin X so my sexuality would not be indicated. I can not keep up with all the appropriate labels I am supposed to wear! I have never been one to accept labels to begin with so this is exhausting, to say the least.

“When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Do you see the real you, or what you have been conditioned to believe is you? The two are so, so different. One is an infinite consciousness capable of being and creating whatever it chooses, the other is an illusion imprisoned by its own perceived and programmed limitations.”-David Icke

Raphael Ezekiel shares in this article his decade experience in studying the militant white racists of America. Their beliefs are “that race is a powerful biological construct that identifies essences ( Henslin, 2007:369) and “whites, especially men have a nature that is superior (Henslin, 2007: 370).”

He conducts his study by doing direct observation in the field by attending their social events and rallies. He does face to face interviews with leaders and followers. This is particularly risky since he is of Jewish descent which he does not hide from any of them. He is ridiculed by some of the members as being a “Jewboy” even one militant racist member said to him “I have no use for a Jew. Keep Hitler’s dream alive: Kill a Jew (Henslin, 2007:371) ” as he was looking directly at him.

Racism sadly will always exist when there are people who refuse to learn about others.
It isn’t anything we are born with. It is something that is taught. However, it does take a conscientious mind to want to learn about others and their way of life. Rather than intentionally seeking flaws in one another it is best to go in with open-minds to find the uniqueness we can bring to one another. “No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background or his religion. People learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” –Nelson Mandela

One thing that stood out for me in this video is how the narrator bounced between income and wealth. There is a significant difference between these two. Income is money an individual earns or generates. Whereas wealth is assets such as investments, property (homes, real estate, etc.) and other possessions. Taking this into consideration creates a much different perspective in regards to wealth in America.

A person can have substantial wealth due to their home, IRA investments and so on. However, it doesn’t mean these items are accessible to the person. On the contrary, many cannot access the assets: all your money is tied up in your home’s equity, a 401k cannot be touched until a much older age (usually retirement age), equities you don’t wish to sell, or bonds that haven’t matured. Many Americans are living pay check to pay check due to their income.

The Narrator seems to find Socialism appealing in his tone of voice. Capitalism has lifted the standard of living throughout the world. even China which is a socialist was forced to go to capitalism to feed its people if one thinks there isn’t an upper social class in socialism one needs to look at the Soviet Union who had party members who ate and lived well while the rest of their nation starved and stood in food lines. This is why many migrate to America for the American Dream!

The rich in America fluctuates as well. They do not remain the same. To get equal outcomes people need an even playing field such as the rules are the same for everyone. Politicians shouldn’t assist the wealthy due to their campaign contributions. Basically, taxes should be a percentage of your income with no deductions for all Americans. For instance, let’s say taxes are 10% for every American. The millionaire who makes 100 million dollars per year would pay his 10% which is $10,000,000 of their income. An American who makes $10,000 should pay their share of 10% that’s $1,000 annually. The burden should not be placed more on the poor or middle class.

There is without a huge discrepancy in the distribution in wealth in America. Until the all citizens are treated the same way in regards to taxes the gap will only become larger amongst the classes.

Clarence Page shares in this reading his experience growing up as an African-American in the 1950s. How others were prejudiced against him because of the color of his skin by Caucasians. He was taught to “never lose your cool” as it would be a disgrace. I have experienced these as well as growing up Mexican.

I grew up in a predominantly African-American neighborhood, and I felt racism for the first time from an African-American classmate. She kept harassing me because I was Mexican and not black. She was judging me based on my skin color and felt like I did not belong in the neighborhood, even though no one else felt this way. People define this as bullying nowadays. We grew up feeling this was a rite of passage. A person had to physically fight to earn their place in the neighborhood amongst the other kids. Once we fought and I won there was no longer an issue between us. Now had I lost the harassment would have continued until I could have literally beat her.

It was not until I was much older and I bought my first home in a less diverse neighborhood that I encountered racism from an older Caucasian woman. “It taught me how easily white people could ignore the segregation problem because, from their vantage point, it was not necessarily a problem (Henslin, 2007:361)”. I can confirm if you’re not taught to think this way it can be easily missed. My Caucasian husband, was not only a military brat, but he also served in the Armed Forces himself. He was not raised identifying others by their race. He was raised with the brotherhood of military life, everyone had each other’s back. When I informed my husband that our neighbor was a racist because I am Mexican, he could not believe it. Until one night she yelled out I needed to return to South America. My husband, the next morning, naively confronted the woman thinking I did not hear her statement correctly got confirmation from her that she had indeed said it. He was furious, paced like a caged animal around the house, yelling out he could not believe she admitted making the racist remark. Unlike when I was a child in my old neighborhood there was no fighting here. Instead, I had to remain strong by not allowing her to push me out of the home. She eventually realized I would not sell, in turn, she did.

Page states he was taught “Don’t be showin’ yo’ color” implying they almost lost their “cool,” that is considered offensive by black standards (Henslin, 2007:632). I was raised in Southside Stockton. We were only one of the handful of Mexican families living in a predominantly African-American neighborhood. This statement did not only apply to African-Americans as I grew up. Since there were also Mexicans in the neighborhood, the saying changed for us to “I almost let Southside Stockton out!” The term meant we had to refrain from becoming loud and vulgar. The term was also a way to confirm our social solidarity with one another. I have never agreed to the term “Acting White.” To me, it meant only Caucasians knew how to behave respectfully and appropriately which isn’t the truth.

There was an instant when I went to Italy with my company. This was my first European trip. We were encouraged to stay awake through our travel and even when we arrived in the morning in Rome, Italy to combat jet lag. A colleague who was also a close friend and I decided we needed to remain at the hotel due to the extreme fatigue. We went to the hotel’s restaurant to grab lunch while others ran out to explore the city. Amy and I sat down awaiting painfully slow service. Our server would bring one item at a time with a ten minutes in between. We were already waiting twenty minutes and only received water and freshly baked bread. The waitress came back to take our order, and I asked her if there was any olive oil for our bread. She replied all snotty with her nose up in the air, “But of course!” As if I had asked an ignorant question. Without hesitation, I responded, “Well then kick it down!” I realized what I had said and felt my eyes trying to pop out of my head! My most professional and well-educated found it humorous and started laughing out loud! I immediately apologized to her and our waitress for my response. She felt it was due to the jet lag. I knew it was because I didn’t like the way I was responded to and let my color out!

I can resonate with some of Clarence Page’s experiences. Racism is an ugly truth in our society and is shown by many races. How we react and allow it to affect us is what matters. I never let what happened to me, have me believe all African-Americans nor all Caucasians are racist. Their ignorance I would not allow to define me.
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background or his religion. People learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” –Nelson Mandela

Sociologist view race from a social constructionist perspective that presents racial categories as social creations rather than objective biological categories (JCB, 2017:143). This article shares stereotypes on race and gender for athletes, something that is done in everyday life. It resonated with me how I have been placed in several categories based on my team preference, my skin color, and place of birth.

Ask an Oakland Raider fan why they dislike a San Francisco 49er fan? The majority will say it is because they feel they are “snobs.” I have been a 49er fan since the age of seven. I became an avid fan only because my father enjoyed watching them. This built a bond between my father and I as well it allowed us to have something in common. The memories gained for the love of our team gave me the desire to share the same with my children. It was never an attraction because I felt the team was from a better financial standing, it was due to fond memories. There is a sense of comradery among fans from teams, especially when someone wears clothing that displays a team’s logo. It can stir up conversations among strangers like when I sat in the coffee shop and noticed one woman seeing another woman wearing a 49er sweatshirt at the coffee shop. One woman used the opportunity to begin a conversation with a complete stranger to discuss their mutual love for the team. It may not be due to the color of one’s skin, but this is just another way people can be prejudged or find common grounds.

When I entered into the pharmaceutical industry, I found I was one of only two Hispanics in the company. When I introduced myself to offices, I was informed by staff members they were accustomed to their pharmaceutical reps being Caucasian but also predominantly males. I did use this to my advantage. If I noticed the front office staff was of Hispanic descent, I would introduce myself in Spanish. This would allow me easier access to the physicians due to my connection with the team.

I am married to a Caucasian and carry his last name. I have olive-skin to some I was not so easily identified as being Hispanic. There have been many instances when I am amongst Hispanics at an event, and they begin to speak Spanish. When they hear me speaking Spanish, it becomes a surprise to them. They admit to me I didn’t appear to be Mexican since I did not have the dark skin. To keep things light-hearted, I remind them that not all of us are.

Humans are the ones who create these differences amongst us to suit their needs. Both of my parents are from Mexico. When we would visit family and friends there my siblings, and I would be told we were not Mexicans since we were born in the United States. This would make us Americans and not Mexicans. Ironically, I have two cousins who were born here in the U.S. but grew up in Mexico. They represented Mexico for Taekwondo competitions. However, they are considered Mexican. When I was in Spain a woman said to me I appeared to have Spanish blood. I told her I indeed had two great grandmothers who were from Spain. She stated then I am Spanish. Yet here in the United States, I am forced to identify as either Latina or Hispanic. These are clear examples of how society has created racial categories.

“Let’s stop believing that our differences make us superior or inferior to one another. Let’s not be afraid that our different colors make us different people. Who cares? It’s just a lie, and we don’t have to believe all the lies and superstitions that control our lives.”- Miguel Angel Ruiz

Coffee! When did this become such a huge factor in our society? Was coffee always high in demand? Why has it grown in great importance? I don’t believe I have gone into any town, regardless of the size, and not notice at least one coffee shop.

I can honestly say I was not much of a coffee drinker until I entered the workforce. It was something I did because it appeared to be the social norm. Productive adults and grandparents got up in the morning and had a cup of coffee before the start of their day. This image was portrayed to me for years by both of my parents and grandparents. The idea of a caffeinated cup of coffee was just the thing to catapult one’s day. Of course, as time has passed my acquired taste for coffee had changed. It initially started with creamer and sugar in my coffee. Then there were flavored creamers to add to my delight. When I entered corporate America, I discovered Starbucks’ fancy coffees, the Caramel Macchiato to be precise by my colleagues. I had no idea what they were even saying, but I did notice the hefty 5$ per cup price tag. Nonetheless, I went along with this new social norm of purchasing an expensive cup of coffee to not only fit in but to experience something new.

Coffee plays such a huge role in our lives nowadays. It amazes me to see how many teenagers rush for a cup of coffee. I never felt the need for coffee as a teenager, especially with the natural level of energy I had. So why do teenagers feel the need for a cup of coffee now? This shift began in 1996 when coffeemakers noticed a decline in adults who consumed coffee(https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/anthropology-in-practice/the-culture-of-coffee-drinkers/). The initial targets were the twenty-something-year-old as well as older adults. The coffee industry realized the need for better tasting coffee to appeal to consumers. Today, it is impossible to go anywhere without someone bearing a cup of coffee in their hand as if it is a necessary accessory. Teenagers and twenty-year-olds appear to use Starbucks as a status symbol. As Hollie McKay at Fox News wrote in 2007, “Handbags and headbands may be chic, but if you really want to be a Hollywood hottie, you need to tote a colossal cup of caffeine (https://mic.com/articles/122966/let-s-be-honest-this-is-really-why-we-love-coffee-so-much#.YQx7Gfmqt). ”

What I have come to learn is that Starbucks serves one of the lowest grade coffees. However, due to the sweeteners added people could not taste the difference something my husband swore by, but I had noticed (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvn64vr-sc8). Whether we drink coffee for social status or for the caffeine rush this industry that is worth over 100 billion dollars worldwide will be here to stay (https://globaledge.msu.edu/blog/post/55607/the-global-coffee-industry ).”Way too much coffee t if it weren’t for the coffee, I’d have no identifiable personality whatsoever.”-David Letterman

This article discusses how the U.S. upper class creates ways to build their association as such. There are ways they take to ensure their status for their family members, including new spouses are registered with the Social Register. They make great strides to separate themselves from other social classes. They enroll their children in prep schools, ivy league colleges, and country clubs. These institutions are very exclusive and are discriminatory. This ensures the rich only socialize with the rich.

Growing up in Stockton, St. Mary’s High School was considered one of those institutions that separated the poor from the rich. A person only with financial means could afford to send their children to that high school. The school predominantly had Caucasian students with some Asian students. I have always attended public schools and had all of our children in them as well. Public schools in Stockton as I grew up, would transport students from across town to provide a diversity of race, social, and economic backgrounds(https://www.nytimes.com/1975/09/15/archives/desegregation-starts-smoothly-for-schools-in-stockton-calif.html). Stockton Unified School District stopped busing children outside of their immediate community which restricts children being exposed to children from other economic statuses. It is a disservice to not only children in lower socioeconomic status but to children of middle to the upper middle class as well.

It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.-Maya Angelou. A great example is when Prince Harry married his American wife, Meghan. We can only hope others will follow suit.

This chapter discusses what influences of growing up in a working-class family has on a person’s occupations, values, and expectations. They can expect to experience “culture shock” when they achieve upward mobility that takes them out of their class of origin and into the foreign terrain of middle-class culture (Henslin, 2007:384).

Both of my parents are from Mexico. My father barely completed Junior high school in Mexico, but he made sure all of his children obtained their education. My mother was brought here from Mexico during her elementary school years and completed high school in the United States. With the encouragement of my father, my mother was the first to not only graduate high school in her family, but to also obtain a degree from college. My mother found exposing her children to a variety of cultures and experiences would benefit us as much as our traditional schooling. My mother sent us to Native American camp to meet other children every summer. We took music lessons that were offered through our public school. We made annual road trips through Mexico to visit not only family but to see how others lived. We kept our culture in the forefront with Spanish spoken at home and we had to participate in our folklorico dance for school assemblies. We definitely explored many places in California.

When I met my husband, I resided with my parents as a single-parent myself. I went to work full time. He expanded what my parents instilled in me the importance of higher education and cultural exposure. I remember the first time he took me to see the Phantom of the Opera in San Francisco(https://www.san-francisco-theater.com/theaters/orpheum-theater/phantom-of-the-opera.php). The nerves were high because I did not know what I was supposed to wear. He enjoyed watching my reaction in seeing the performance. Others sat back, upright appropriately viewing the show while I appeared as a small child at the edge of my seat in total awe. After the show, my husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, wanted to extend our elegant evening by taking me to Morton’s of Chicago for dinner. Keep in mind, I was a girl from South-side Stockton, and I mean from the side of town where others were afraid to go for fear of violence. I was apprehensive in going because I wasn’t sure if I knew how to present myself accordingly. My husband confidently stated I belonged because he was taking me. We laugh to this day on my reaction when the server used a scraper to wipe away crumbs from our table cloth after having our fresh bread. I never knew such things existed. I could not at the time figure out which utensil was supposed to be used yet I managed to make myself fit in.

My husband was also the one who encouraged me to return to school to further my education. He pointed out how hard I worked while others rode on my successes. I returned to school to obtain my Bachelor’s degree. I decided after I received my degree to enter corporate America and leave the non-profit sector. I purchased clothes I felt would allow me to appropriately “fit in” which really didn’t matter. There were also many food items I had not ever experienced such as tiramisu, escargot, and foie gras prior to this. Of course, I tried everything since the opportunity had arisen while I worked in this industry but I did not disclose to everyone it was my first time trying these items.

We are now grandparents and find ourselves taking great pride in exposing our grandchildren to many new experiences. We want them to obtain as much cultural capital as possible so they won’t feel out of place. We recently went on a road trip to Yellowstone National park, and it fills our hearts when our grandchildren can point out they have been there to others. We encourage them to try new foods and meet new people to allow for diversity in their lives. I was once afraid to go out and explore outside of my community. I now intentionally try new foods, explore new areas, and treasure each new person I meet. “The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton

Herbert Gans describes in this writing how society benefits from the poor and how our society would be without them. He states “Associating poverty with positive functions seems at first glance to be unimaginable (Henslin, 2017, p. 377).” The individuals who we may consider poor are the ones who do tasks others won’t ever consider doing. If we didn’t have these individuals, it would require the rich to do more work.

My father raised his children to treat the janitor the same way we would a CEO of a company, with courtesy and respect. I did not understand that saying until I entered the workforce myself. Basically, my father was pointing out each role is required for that company to be successful. A message I passed on to my own children. The CEO is busy making decisions to increase business and does not have time to take the trash out nor mop the floors. In turn, the company required a janitor to keep the facility’s multi-million dollar appearance.

Gans describes how society needs the poor to function as a whole. Jobs are created for the rich to look good such as maids, drivers, and nannies, to name a few. It amuses me to hear my friends tell me I should have hired a housekeeper and landscaper for more free time. Honestly, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself with the extra time. I always maintain my own home and yard, even when I made a six-figure income. My income was drastically reduced when I found myself injured on the job and in an extremely slow-paced workman’s comp system. I reflect how I would have I appeared to others if I had hired these people and had to let them go because financially I could not maintain their positions. Even though I was raised tending to my own tasks, many of my associates would never see themselves doing so.

The poor, unfortunately, is needed in a society to help in medical research (Henslin, 2017: 378). Many clinical trials lure the poor to their research as guinea pigs with money (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2598135/). This helps with the advances of medical research. Also, the poor because of their inadequate pay, and lack of benefits are not in the best of health, another factor that lures them to participate in clinical research. However, these advancements also help the rich become richer when there is a new medical discovery.