Prompt: What is it for a feature of an individual to be socially meaningful?

    In chapter 2 of Asta’s book “Categories We Live By: The Construction of Sex, Gender, Race, and Other Social Categories,” Asta connects the social significance of social construction(s). An interesting question to answer from the points provided in the chapter is what, if any, social construction makes an individual socially meaningful? 

    Asta talks about the different types of social occurrences (e.g. wheelchairs and their access) and how each can go from a cause of social phenomena to an effect. I believe that social phenomena is an effect in most cases. For example, the cause of physical inhibition is typically caused as a result of social effects (eg poor drinking water in a certain district/area, increased violence and lack of jobs, etc). An individual gains social meaning based on their perceived abilities and geographic location. Although some legal measures are evaluating based on merit, in some cases employability is still rooted in social construction. 

    In order to change the avenue individuals are still viewed in society, there needs to be a shift in how we determine social meaning. I believe we still need social construction in order to determine equality and develop better understanding of one another, but is there a point where social constructions stop?