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Essay / Gender, Race, and Sexual Orientation Development
Individuals in this orientation understand racial constructs and are aware of the origin and culture of the subgroup and its relationships with others under -Latino groups. Wijeyesingh and Jackson describe that their Latino identity is fully integrated with other social identities (2001). An integrated Latino individual feels comfortable around all types of Latinos. Latino identified is the second orientation and these individuals maintain a less rigid view of other groups. Their idea of race is uniquely Latino, meaning they do not accept American racial constructs. (Wijeyesingh and Jackson, 2001). The next direction is the direction identified by the subgroup. Here, Latinos view themselves as their own national origin subgroup, which constitutes the center of their racial identity (Wijeyesingh & Jackson, 2001). These individuals have a strong identification with a specific subgroup within the Latino races. Individuals of Latino orientation as “Others” are unaware of their Latino origins, history, and culture; however, due to their mixed heritage, they identify as generic Latino (Wijeyesingh & Jackson). Undifferentiated in orientation, Latinos prefer to identify as “fair people” (Wijeyesingh & Jackson, 2001). They usually claimed to be colorblind and that color was not important. They unquestioningly accept the dominant cultural norms of our society. They prefer to view individuals as distinct from their racial or ethnic identity. (Wijeyesingh and Jackson, 2001). Last but not least, Latinos identified as White are the orientation that views their race as White and rejects Latino identification. They assimilate into a white culture and are quite disconnected from other Latinos there. Whiteness is the essential and primary element of their identity (Wijeyesingh & Jackson, 2001). I see myself in this group because I have adopted a white racial identity and assumed a non-Latina lifestyle. I