the difficulty of being intersectional

Once you have finally begun to become comfortable in the box you've been boxed in, how do you branch out and reach out to other 'boxes'? How do you fortify coalitions without losing your own identity? How do you remain yourself without the box (Indeed, can you?). Within the Asian-American-Straight-Cis-Female box, I remain proud yet hesitant to rest on that pride as though it is more worthy than other prides, especially those with less privileges. In my young adulthood I have finally grown comfortable in my own skin. I would note that Beyonce and Kanye West have also come to a point in their careers where they are free to do be who they want to be--they've established their careers enough to go off the cuff a bit. It's freeing, terrifying, and awesome. But we--all of us--have got to stay vigilant and remain educators and allies to those who aren't at that spot yet, as well as keep watch over our own privileges and ways we may be continuing oppression of other folks.