After reading the articles that have been assigned so far, I have come to the conclusion that I would like to write my paper about the word Covering. My reasoning is that in relation to all the words that were listed I feel a deeper connection to this one more than others. As somebody that has used covering the in the past in order to allow society to take a liking to me, I would often fall victim to and still remain a victim to the use of covering. Not in extreme ways have I used covering, however, I still use it nonetheless, as I’m afraid of being rejected from society as I have been in the past.
In regards to the excerpts we read for this week, it brings up a lot to think about when discussing the differences between these words. Such as covering and authenticity, of which Yoshino speaks about in one part, saying, “I agree that we must not assume that individuals behaving in “mainstream” ways are necessarily covering. My ultimate commitment is to autonomy as a means of achieving authenticity, rather than to a fixed conception of what authenticity might be.” (Yoshino, 458) In this, he’s speaking about the differences between the two words. As covering is as we’ve come to see, adjusting to societal norms whilst hiding your true self in the process while authenticity is showing your truest self. He also speaks about authenticity in regards to voice, in his piece he mentions, “Carol Gilligan argues that children have an authentic voice they lose as they mature, with girls retaining it longer than boys. (The breaking of this emotional voice mirrors the breaking of the physical voice, as the voices of boys break earlier and more dramatically than those of girls.)” (Yoshino, 456) This is in regards to the authenticity of people’s voices as they get older, meaning how true they are to themselves regarding their emotions and so forth.
Overall, the excerpts we read do get your mind thinking about the words that we’ve been given. Although brief, they do mention a few different words and give examples and further elaborate on them. Allowing the reader to not only get a better sense of these words, but also allow for a broader perspective.
Sources: Barrios, Barclay. Emerging: Contemporary Readings for Writers. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2019.
