Clarify significant aspects of personal identity and relative positionality Reflect upon how our unique ‘lens’ shapes our worldview and perspective

Identity Worksheet EXAMPLE

*Please note this is a worksheet and is meant to help you clarify your identity and areas of socially ascribed privilege and marginalization; to help determine your intersectional identity and positionality.

This is not meant to be defining, absolute or inclusive of all identities. It is subjective. Please feel free to add, subtract or change identity categories as you see fit.

Aspects of Identity: Social (outward facing)	Your answers:	Associated with social marginalization in the U.S.	Neutral	Associated with social privilege in the U.S.	Notes:
Hair color	Brown		x
Skin color	White			x
Height	5’6”		x
Age	46		x
Body size	Just over suggested BMI		x
Sex	Female	x
Geographical location	Upper mid-west		x
TOTAL		1	5	1

Aspects of Identity: Personal (inward facing)	Your answers:	Associated with social marginalization in the U.S.	Neutral	Associated with social privilege in the U.S.	Notes:
Ethnic heritage	European			x
Gender Identity	Female- cis-gender			x
Political alignment	Liberal		x
Cultural Identity	American			x
Religion	Unitarian		x
Historical location	Settler colonial			x
Race	White			x
Socio-economic class	Upper mid-class Financially independent			x
Ability status	Able bodied			x
Professional	Nursing professor			x
Family background (parents/ siblings/ extended fam)	Two parents, only-child, with bio family Adult child of alcoholics			x
Marital status	Divorced		x
Educational background	Doctorate			x
Parental status	Single	x
Sexual orientation	Bi/ Poly	x
Trauma history
TOTAL:		2 Single Bi/Poly	3	10 Doctorate Intact bio-family Professor Able-bodied Upper mid-class Settler background European Cis-gender

Reflection Part I

1. Summarize your intersectional identity by creating a narrative statement that describes your social and personal identities:

For example: I am a divorced, single mother to three children, professional nurse faculty and nurse-midwife, white, middle-aged woman. My ancestors were settler colonial immigrants from Western Europe, surrounding the North Sea (primarily Norwegian, British and Irish). I live in rural Northern Wisconsin on Anishinaable lands. I am an able-bodied and cis-gender female. I grew up in an intact family as an only-child, and am an adult child of alcoholics. I am a financially independent, polyamorous, bisexual person who remains single by choice.

2. Summarize your positionality by discussing the areas of your identity that are considered marginalized in the social culture of the U.S. and those that are considered privileged:

I overwhelmingly experience privilege in the social context of the United States. The only areas that are marginalized are my status as a woman, and the fact that I am not homosexual, monogamous, and married, which are considered the norm.

3. What are three areas of your life where you feel the impact of marginalization or privilege:

1) I feel my marginalization mostly as a single mother. This creates financial challenges and high levels of stress due to increased responsibilities and less support than needed.

2) My sexual identity is inward facing and it’s easy to “pass” as heterosexual since I have been married to a man in the past and being divorced is considered normal. I choose who and when to share the remaining aspects of my personal sexual/relationship status identity. This is something I chose to keep private with those who I anticipate negative judgment from.

3) I feel my privilege as someone who is given the benefit of the doubt in almost every aspect of social interactions. I am generally considered non-threatening and capable. I am not negatively judged based on the color of my skin or other physical (outward-facing) aspect of my identity. I am afforded courtesy and respect by others in most cases.

4) I have benefited from generational wealth when I got financial help to pursue graduate and post-graduate studies, and when buying my first home. I also had the opportunity to buy land from my parents for a good price. They were able to buy land after selling our third-generation family home which was valuable. My parents did not have college educations or well-paying jobs, but the generational wealth on one side of my family afforded us opportunities I would not have had otherwise.

Reflection Part II

4. How does your lens shape your worldview and perspective in terms of how you define health and your orientation to the profession of nursing?

I have not had to consider my identity and positionality in terms of my profession because my identity is aligned with the majority identity in my profession (white women). Over the years I have become more aware of this and understand this reflects inequity and I happen to be in a position of privilege, given the arbitrary nature of our social hierarchies.

This has not caused conflict for me in terms of my profession, but has certainly created significant blind spots, where I have not taken the extra time and attention at times to understand perspectives that are different from mine. It is easy to take advantage of ease, and to accept praise and reward for things that are granted in part or completely due to my privilege.

I have been fortunate enough to live and work in cultures different from my own, and this has given me perspective into my own culture, and showed me what inequities look like; through hearing stories of those who experience oppression and disadvantage, and share their experiences with me. I have learned most of what I know from listening to people’s stories.

I understand that different cultures have different worldviews and perspectives related to health and wellness and that mine is just one, and not better than the others. I also realize that my perspective is based upon a Western perspective that stems from and is inextricably woven into colonization and capitalism. This is an area that requires careful consideration and considerable un-learning, reflection, and active engagement to decolonize my perspective and work toward ensuring that my influence is not perpetuating violent and oppressive systems.

Colonized perspective separates things that should be connected (such as people and the Earth) and is based largely upon conquest and greed. The Western model of medicine is focused on physiology (and usually neglects emotions and spirituality). It is also firmly rooted in patriarchy and devalues feminine qualities such as gentleness, collaboration, connection and caring.

My values are at odds with the Western values I grew up with and are much more aligned with Indigenous values that I’ve learned about as an adult and am also learning how my ancestors would have embodied these as well, prior to European colonization.

I believe that diversity is inherent and to be embraced at every level. I believe in social justice and healing that is inclusive of the mind, body, and spirit, and includes concentric circles of the self, family and community. I believe in intuition as well as didactic knowledge and believe in equity between men and women; even while we carry unique gifts. I affirm that race is socially constructed specifically for the benefit of some and disempowerment of others. I acknowledge that this deliberate construct has been imposed for hundreds of years in the U.S. and that the damage is deep, and healing is needed. I believe it is my work and source of joy and fulfillment, to be part of the healing; for this and future generations.

5. Share a reflection on this exercise. Did anything surprise you? Why or why not?

It feels so good to finally put this on paper. I have been working on this for years in my head, and finally completed it so that I can rightly ask my students to do the same. It’s a powerful activity; guiding us to articulate who we are, how we are situated and what this means for our personal and professional perspectives related to nursing and health.

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Module 1 Reflection Answer Sheet

Reflection Part 1

1) Summarize your intersectional identity by creating a narrative statement that describes your social and personal identities.

2) Summarize your positionality by discussing the areas of your identity that are considered marginalized in the social culture of the U.S. and those that are considered privileged.

3) What are three areas of your life where you feel the impact of marginalization or privilege?

Reflection Part 2

4) How does your lens (based on your identity, positionality, and cultural values) shape your worldview and perspective in terms of how you define health and your orientation to the profession of nursing?

5) Share a reflection on this exercise. Did anything surprise you? Why or why not?

Rev. 10/23

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