Have you ever had someone tell you who you are, even though it was completely unasked for? Or perhaps had someone decide to tell you who you are not? Likely, you have had both and chances are, you did both.

If you, like me, have had to deal with the frustration and confusion caused by other people’s irrelevant opinions about who you are and mostly who you are not, then this is probably just cold comfort. But if you find yourself often disagreeing with other people’s ideas of self-identity you might want to hang tight, because this letter is meant for you.

First to second version adjustments

- Less agression, more compassion
- More use of theory
- Kill your darlings
- Finding out what my message was

Belonging to the Dutch nation demands that those features that the collective imaginary considers non-Dutch—such as language, an exotic appearance, een kleurtje hebben, “having a tinge of color” (the diminutive way in which being of color is popularly indicated), outlandish dress and convictions, non-Christian religions, the memory of oppression—are shed as fast as possible and that one tries to assimilate.

-Gloria Wekker

Thus, notwithstanding the thoroughly mixed makeup of the Dutch population in terms of racial or ethnic origins, the dominant representation is one of Dutchness as whiteness and being Christian. This image of Dutchness dates from the end of the nineteenth century, with the centralization and standardization of Dutch language and culture.

-Gloria Wekker

She explains how Dutchness is based on a long existing notion of what it means to be Dutch, but this form of (un)identifying someone by checking if they fit the stereotype or any other idea we may have gotten through a lack of knowledge or representation happens not only when it comes to defining someone’s racial or cultural background. It is also when we tell someone that they could not be asexual, that they simply “never had good sex”, that we are mislead by our lack of understanding for their identity.

Goal:
Analyzing theory and put it to use in my own context

Second to final version adjustments

- Cleaning up
- Improving use of language
- Using italic to emphasise my message