Dimensions of identities

In his influential book, Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity, Andrew Solomon differentiates between two dimensions of identity: vertical and horizontal. Vertical identities are those that are directly inherited, including “attributes and values are passed down from parent to child across the generations not only through strands of DNA but also through shared cultural norms." Horizontal identities are those that are independently divergent traits that are “foreign to his or her parents and must therefore acquire identity from a peer group.” The identities falling into this category may include sexuality, disability, or mental health issues. These two dimensions help us to reflect more deeply on our identities as the outcome of interacting with the family context and society.

Other dimensions of identities emerge as reflections on my intersectional identities deepen: by nature (active/positive) and by choice (passive/negative). Why is it important to have more dimensions of identities? As a person grows older and enters the complex world, knowing these dimensions helps anatomize and understand our diverse experiences afforded by our intersectional identities.

Image credit: https://byjus.com/maths/coordinate-axes-and-coordinate-planes-in-three-dimensionsional-space/

Using my 12 identities as an example. Half of them are by nature, and the other half are by choice or avoidance (passive choice). Two of the 12 identities are completely out by nature. Identities that are out by positive choices are that I became a racial minority by coming to the U.S. to pursue advanced studies. It also resulted in me becoming a relative majority among the racial makeup of the intellectual community in the US.

Delineating an individual's various identities not only helps them understand themselves on a deeper level but also provides insights into how comfortable they are with disclosing their identities (or part of them), particularly when dealing with identities through negative or passive choices. Unfortunately, some of us "acquired" undesirable identities as a result of hurt, harm, and hardship. The purpose of "labeling" those identities is not to reinforce the trauma, but rather to be aware of and accept the identities so that we can reconcile with and move past the negative impact of the undesirable identities.

But, once we've recovered from the trauma, should we de-identify the undesirable identities through passive choices? I don't recommend it because those identities have strengthened you and become part of your attribute assets. You've turned the undesirables into treasures. So, why get rid of them?

Remember what the German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, wrote in 1888 “Aus der Kriegsschule des Lebens.—Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker,” which can be translated as “Out of life’s school of war—what doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger.”