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culture could result in feeling ostracized. Name calling,
bullying, and attempts to shame those who do not meet
such expectations are often employed to force
compliance or discredit the offender.
Speaking from personal experience, names like traitor to
your race, Uncle Tom, N---- lover, etc., are used to
identify the person. This is the “who am I in the eyes of
others” impact. For someone, whose identity is based on
skin color and ethnicity, this could result in deep seated
inner turmoil and dysfunctional emotions such as
shame, fear of rejection, resentment, or a desire to hide.
Worse, it could lead to a subconscious defense
mechanism of projecting an image to fit in, rather than
who one truly is or could be.
Another dysfunctional humanistic identity trait is who I
am based on performance. With regard to race, this
could manifest in outward behaviors such as speech, the
way one walks, dresses, or even the facial expressions
and attitudes one projects. This race-based performance
identity transfers to the way one may treat others of the
same race, or of a different race. It may impact the way
one views and responds to persons in authority. It could
hinder personal growth and professional development.
On the other hand, and given certain conditions, it could
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