Am I My Genes? by Klitzman Robert L

Author:Klitzman, Robert L.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 2012-01-18T16:00:00+00:00

Whether it is part of my identity now depends on the crowd I’m in. When I’m in an Alpha group: I’m one of you. It’s part of me, a description of me, like having brown hair, or being this size, or whatever I am. But it’s not a total focus.

Depending on social context, disease can constitute part, though not necessarily all, of one’s identity. However, outsiders may identify a person as having a disease, while the individual resists it. Patients may welcome or fight an identity as “ill” in others’ eyes. Entering and exiting the sick role can thus be contested, and negotiated.

An individual may define him or herself in genetic terms, depending on temporal factors as well—doing so only when the topic comes up. Harriet, an African American schoolteacher with an inconclusive genetic test for breast cancer and no symptoms, said, “In terms of who I am: I just say I had a history of cancer in my family. But it was not there every day—just when we’re having the discussion.” She frames her identity in familial, rather than personal ways (having had the disease in her family).

Yet over time, both community involvements and identities can mold each other. Karen, the lesbian lawyer, said about her breast cancer,

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.