-"The purpose of this essay is to write about and explore the meaning(s) of gender and/or culture in your own life experience growing up. The essay will be written in personal narrative form and be based upon your own experience, observations, and analysis. The actual assignment is to write about the meaning of your gender identity or your cultural background or a combination of both. You should organize your information into a narrative where you tell your “story.” As a suggestion, you may want to organize the essay from growing up to the present in terms of how the essay moves in time. But you do not have to. The structure does not necessarily have to be linear, but it should have a clear thesis and be in essay form... some questions to comsider in essay - In general, describe your childhood. What was it like? Did you enjoy it? Was it difficult, fun, etc.? Growing up, throughout childhood and your teenage years, did you have a sense of your own gender identity? Did you notice any differences in how you were raised -- according to mainstream social constructions of how girls and boys, in particular, were supposed to behave? As well as how you were raised if you identified as trans and/or gender-non conforming, etc? Did messages about gender that may have come from friends, school, and the media impact you in any way then? How about now as a grown adult? What do you embrace as your cultural identity? Are there cultural traditions and/or values from your upbringing that you find meaningful in your life now? (Give actual examples.) Were there any role models and/or mentors who were helpful to you, in particular, during your teenage years? Are there memorable events (happy ones, difficult ones) that stand out to you as your think about your life up until now?