Identity and diversity in today’s world

This paper develops a thesis about identity and diversity. I first look at activity-based identities, identities like being a gardener, birder, citizen scientist or fan-fiction writer. These are freely chosen identities and they are proliferating at a great rate today thanks to participatory culture, the Maker Movement and digital and social media. Next, I turn to relational identities, identities like being Asian-American, elderly, ADHD or Catholic. These are classificatory labels that are not always freely chosen. I argue that they can do as much to efface diversity as celebrate it. I look at the ways in which people can accept and own, reject, or be conflicted about such identities. When such identities are accepted, and owned they become very much like activity-based identities.