Fashioning the Body: Versions of the Citizen, the Self, and the Subject

What struck me the most about tuesday's gym was identity.  I love the statement that Julia gave saying "Identity is a double-edged sword- you may claim these catagories, but they also claim you."  Man, that is one powerful line!  It's so true that we go through life choosing our own identities, but in turn they sort of dictate who we are.  We get cast into this mold whether we want to or not.  Is there a way of making our own mold, or is the mold picked out for us when we make our life choices?