Schyler's Bio

The people who I grew up with had a remarkable influence on my life and, in particular, the way in which I view and identify with gender. My mother and I have always shared a close relationship in comparison to my father. She is an extremely independent woman; for example, she has had a full-time job since her days in high school. Even when she got married to my father after graduating college, she continued working. She emphasizes the importance of being self-sufficient, obtaining and maintaining the means to support oneself not only financially but emotionally as well. In turn, I have understood gender and my femininity as empowering. As a history student, I have read about various experiences and phenomena in which women have assumed traditionally limited roles in society. However, as a young adult, I find myself yearning to break away from certain stereotypes that are placed upon women and become a truly autonomous and unique individual.