Identity Politics

Utilizing pride in identities to create a sense of uniqueness, belonging, recognition and raise awareness. Often, each group prioritizes the concerns of the group over the whole in an effort to give equal liberties to minorities. Identity politics offsets the gap in a democracy where every man is created equal, but the majority rules. It's good in the sense that it creates communities, bad that it overlooks where identities overlap or cross. The identity can be anything. Examples include age, religion, social class, profession, culture, race or ethnicity, health diagnosis, disability, education, sex, gender identity, occupation, sexual orientation, veteran status... Because the identity can be anything, the concept of Identity Politics gets used and misused with varying definitions in different contexts. In 2018 -2019, it seems to be a term white people throw around to deflate the issues and struggles exclusive to people of color, and as a result, an attempt to diminish the power and purpose of identity politics making this word, in of itself, taboo to use. In another context, identity politics can mean that people put more emphasis on the identity of the group over the betterment of it. It usually entails the notion of ostracizing people because their belief or opinion slightly veered from the majority of that minority's belief or opinion.