I just want to start out saying that this class has definitely opened up a new appreciation for my upbringing and the people that I have surrounding me in my everyday life. I was raised in a fairly normal household where both of my parents worked full-time and my parents shared house-hold and parenting duties. I am the middle child with an older sister and a younger brother. My sister and I were taught how to do anything from cook and clean to throw a football and fish and hunt and my brother was taught the same. Reading from others' posts and introductions, it is amazing how diverse we all are and how our lives/lifestyles/views differ. I am really fortunate (in my eyes) to be raised in a way that ensured I could be independent and never have to depend on a man. (Not that I don't ever play the "BUT I'm a girl" card...because clearly we all have to do that sometimes :) ).
Besides my personal childhood, I really didn't experience first hand the racism and inequality until I moved out. I am sure it was around me, but I was apparently unfamiliar with what it was or what it meant. Before I started college I literally had never spoke to a person of color before, so becoming friends with various people of various races/classes/cultures has definitely been eye opening. Being a white female raised in a middle class family in the middle of the country with really nothing to ever worry about, I realize allllllll of the many many privileges I have had and still have.
