I suppose the ways that I identify are due to which aspects of my personal experiences have formed the majority of my identity, as an Italian-American woman. I dont' assume all women have the same experince, nor all Italian-Americans, but we may share some similar experiences. Don't we all define ourselves by the group we share attributes with? Political stance, gender, club or group membership?

For example, when I was a girl, I would meet people who would discuss how far their roots went back in America, often talking about ancestors arriving on the Mayflower or another ship. In this way, I was an outsider because my father was first generation American. That status provided a different set of experiences for him and consequently for me. He was ridiculed, called names, and excluded from the other American experiences. In light of his treatment, I had the blessing of being raised to respect people from all backgrounds and religions. He taught me to be proud of my heritage but open to all people, as equals. How my family was treated taught me to have a bit of humility. So, it was positive in forming my identity. Make sense?