Institutionalized Boxes

Part 1
Society today forces people into boxes, and this has over the years become
institutionalized. Some of these boxes are based on gender, sexual orientation, tattoos, weight,
and even race. These differences have become so institutionalized that it is not surprising for
people to be classified based on this information. For example, people are termed as suitable or
not suitable for a certain profession based on these categories. For instance, tattoos are seen as
not being compatible with certain professionals. People working in government offices, teachers,
and police officers all tend to be very strict on their code of dressing. I think that this is an
institutionalized box. Professionalism is not hindered by the fact that a person has tattoos.
I have also had an experience where I had to identify within a box that did not fit. I live in
a society that categorizes obese people as unhealthy, unfit, and lazy. These people are generally
viewed as having bad eating habits and even refusing to work out. However, I refuse to fit into
such a box. I understand that sometimes, there are many other factors that can lead to weight
gain. Some of these are related to genetics, and I know very well that people cannot choose their
genes. A study shows that genetics plays a significant role in predisposition to obesity (Golden &
Kessler, 2020). this implies that while there is polygenic obesity where there is an interplay
between an obesogenic environment and genes, then an already predisposed individual cannot be
entirely blamed. It is like being blamed for belonging to a certain race. All these are factors about
our identities that we cannot change. As Aleichia William states, I cannot allow small minds to
put me in a box (Williams, 2017). I refuse to fit into societal boxes.

3

A lot can be done to shift our thinking and widen our perspectives as a society.
According to Chimamanda Adichie in the Danger of a single story, having one perspective is
dangerous as it can lead to faulty and default conclusions, assumptions, and even decisions
(Adichie, 2009). These may be incomplete and misleading. Our society needs to embrace the
culture of embracing many perspectives, and this can be made possible by having a habit of
consuming information from many sources. That way, we refrain from putting people into boxes,
we dismantle institutionalized boxes, and when others put us into boxes, we refuse to fit in.
Part 2
I am part of several communities. One of the communities that I am a member of is the
gym community. I found the community through a friend. After joining the gym, a friend told
me that there was a group comprising regular members, and I decided to join the group. I find the
community supportive. One of the ways that I have benefited from being a member is that I get
regular updates on fitness activities and events that I can attend.
I also get to exercise in a group, and this has made me more efficient in my physical
exercises. Over time, I have gotten a competitive edge. Studies on physical exercises have found
that there is a higher likelihood to perform more with others are gruntling alongside you. The
group feeling at the gym tends to activate an innate competitive side in me, and I work better and
more when working in a group. This community has also supported me in my healthy journey.
Sometimes when I feel like not going to the gym, they usually encourage me. I usually realize
that on the days when I have low energy, a little push from them gets me going. This is such an
important community, and I have gained a lot from my affiliation with it.

4
Additionally, I am a member of a religious community. I have belonged to a religious
community from a young age. I thus did not join the community. I just grew within the
community, and I have been a member ever since I can remember.
Part 3
Interactions with members of my community differ from those with people outside my
community. First of all, with members of my community, there is nothing like cultural
awareness. We share an identity, and it is not that difficult to bond. There are many things that
we have in common, and this increases the number of things that we can discuss. For example,
when interacting with embers of the gym community, we talk about our fitness journeys. There
are many things that we share, such as healthy eating and days when we eat unhealthily. We
discuss what it feels like to fall off the wagon and indulge in unhealthy foods. We also discuss
our endurance levels and such related topics.
However, when interacting with people who do not belong to the gym community, the
case is different. We discuss other issues. Mostly, the things we discuss are not personal. For
example, we may discuss arising issues. The main thing is that there lack many issues in
common. Conversations thus take a more superficial approach. There is a challenge in this
because I have realized that it mostly happens because I put people in a box. The fact that we do
not belong to common communities makes our interactions different.

5

References
Adichie, C. N. (2009). The Danger of a single story.
Golden, A., & Kessler, C. (2020). Obesity and genetics. Journal of the American Association of
Nurse Practitioners, 32(7), 493-496.
Williams, A. (2017). Too Latina To Be Black, Too Black To Be Latina. HuffPost. Retrieved 28
February 2022, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/too-black-to-be-latin-
too_b_8141150.