What Happens Next? Part 1

I have always been aware of the importance of how we define ourselves.  Everything and everyone in this culture gives labels and/or defines the people and things around them as a means of interaction within our cultural framework.  This is not necessarily a bad or good thing to do, it depends heavily on the context.  For instance, here are some examples of bad ways to define others:

1. Using race or gender to define who someone is or how they will behave.
   -i.e.
1.  The way the Nazis defined Jews during WW2 or how Americans defined Japanese citizens during the same time period. 
2. How black Americans were defined until recently.
3. How women were defined and continue to be confined by society and self.

Why on Earth do I bring this up?  When I was a young mother, I stayed at home with my children and over and over again was treated with disrespect from people because of it.  For instance, many times I was asked what I did for a living and I would say that I was a stay at home mom and receive an "oh, so you don't work?" response.  Anyone who ever took care of children knows that it isn't all bon bons and soap operas.  Later, as a home-school mom the responses were even more hostile.  When my children began attending school and I started to work at their school part time just to cover their tuition, I began to understand what it was to have a societal definition that engendered respect.  I could tell people I was a teacher and they would suddenly treat me with respect.  During this time, I earned both my B.S. and M.A. degrees and was able to pride myself in even more societally accepted ways.  In my own eyes and the eyes of those of society I was successful in some manner.