I am very excited to hear different perspectives on self identity and self awareness. I find that although everyone has their own thoughts and ideas on the subjects the main themes end up being very similar. Today's guest blog shares several books and blogs that delve into various perspectives.<3 Mae-----Hey everyone—Welcome to Saturday! I hope everyone has been able to sustain their happiness—or at least their sanity—throughout the week.Earlier this week Mae shared with us a TedX talk by Thandie Newton , in which Thandie spoke movingly about her identity evolution and how her eventual freedom from the question of defining her “self” allowed her to fully embrace human connection and happiness. In Thandie’s talk, the color of her skin was a main cause of uncertainty in who her “self” was supposed to be, as it prevented her from fitting in. Skin color and the concept of race are difficult, if not impossible, to separate from identity formation. Thandie’s talk reminded me of two books I know of that delve into the topics of identity and race. The first is called Black, White and Jewish: Autobiography of a Shifting Self, written by Rebecca Walker. The second book is What Are You Doing Here?: A Black Woman’s Life and Liberation in Heavy Metal, by Laina Dawes. Although these books focus on race, which is always a sensitive subject, their main themes of identity formation and growing up are issues we can all relate to struggling with, at some point in our lives.In Black, White and Jewish: Autobiography of a Shifting Self ,Walker describes what it is like growing up as a girl in the 70s with a white father and a black mother and navigating several different social worlds. Reading the book is like reading a young girl’s diary. Naïve, misbehaving and full of attitude. You are hooked and you follow as Walker’s young, earnest voice develops the maturity of an adult, as several times she is forced to confront the reality of her race and the roles society pushes her, and her family, into. The book provides a look at the mainstream and alternative life choices of 1970s families, from the perspective of a young girl in the middle of three social categories. It also beautifully describes growing up and the pain and pleasure experienced when we make choices about our identity, in a way that many of us—even living in the “2000s”—can connect to. I had several “This is/was my life” moments in reading this book. If you are interested in the exploring the concept of identity, I absolutely recommend Rebecca Walker’s Black, White and Jewish.What Are You Doing Here?: A Black Woman’s Life and Liberation in Heavy Metal, is a book I have not yet read, but I did hear a great interview with Laina Dawes on NPR, in which she spoke about the book. Dawes is a music critic who, as a young girl dealing with angst and stress of being a minority in a primarily white community, found solace and validation in heavy metal rock. At the age of eight she falls in love with the music and makeup of KISS (the heavy metal band). She quickly realizes, however, that because of her skin color that she “doesn’t belong” in the rock show crowds or fan base at all. In her interview she talks about the connection between music choices and identity, and how the power of her passion allowed her to overcome barriers that arose from this. If you think the relationship between music and identity is interesting, check this book out—I know I am going to!Sometimes comedy is the best way to address questions of identity, which can otherwise be a deep, serious and personal subject. Here are some online resources I have, related to gender identity, female identity and sexuality (which in this case is an advice series from a 20-something peer health educator).These authors/producers address issues of identity in many of their posts, scattered in between a large proportion of comic relief posts, just for fun. Be warned, much of this content is PG-13 or R-rated due to language and some adult content. If you can handle that, hilarity will ensue.I wish you all luck on your identity, and vibrant life journeys, and have a happy St. Patty’s Day Weekend!-Irenep.s. I would love a male perspective on the concept of identity—if anyone has any resources, please share!Resources –Finding the humor in identityJezebel (Blog): Female identityJenna Marbles (Youtube channel): Gender roles, critical thinking about societal standards for 20-somethingsLaci Green (Youtube channel): Sexuality, health, critical thinking about societal ideals surrounding sexHannah Hart (Youtube channels): look for the advice videos, and she talks about her own gender identity as well