Tentative Answer: Simone de Beauvoir

Apply “One is not born but becomes a woman” to any other oppressed group

Simone de Beauvoir’s statement that “one is not born but becomes a woman” asserts that womanhood is not determined by biological factors but rather a person becomes a woman based on their experiences and how society has shaped them. This shows that gender, or an other marking of identity, is based off the perception by society and that individual’s experience. Women, therefore, identify as women on grounds of a shared experience or shaping of society. A similar idea can be applied to the identities of racial minorities.  From DuBois’ idea of double consciousness, the African American in the United States asserts two identities, one being black and the other as an american, however both identities don’t converge. This is due to societal perception of the black American as either or. In present day this is most evident as racial minorities realize their otherness in certain situations. As a personal anecdote, my identity as a Hispanic American stems not only from biologically being born from two Hispanic parents, but also from my experiences dealing with racism and having made feel like an “other” in a society that is dictated by white people. Rather than it being my destiny to be a Hispanic person, I’m morphed into a Hispanic person due to my experiences that I have been subjected to.