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I think that the term "covering" might be covering up your identity to fit in.

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I think (covering) means:  hiding something intentionally in order to satisfy others.

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Before learning about "covering," I am thinking that the term means 'masking' or 'acting' a certain way to shield or hide true intentions, actions, or behavior. In other words, to 'cover' personal reality with blanket statement, emotions, or identity.

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After reading/listening to the podcast, I learned that covering is how one downplays personal identity to others, especially for acceptance and/or affiliation into the dominant culture. I learned that 'covering' is one of three phases of personal identity, involving conversation, passing, and covering. Interestingly, I also learned that all minority groups are affected by aspects of covering, where individuals within the groups seek to preserve their specific culture while others assimilate into the dominant culture. This information resonates with me and the "model-minority" status in many pan-ethnic groups where some associate with the dominant culture (i.e. white) whereas others seek to uphold traditional beliefs and/or actions or have negative perceptions with those in the dominant culture due prejudice or discriminatory actions against them or individuals they know in their ethnic group (Lee, 1994).

Reference:
Lee, S. (1994). Behind the model-minority stereotype: Voices of high- and low-achieving Asian
American students. In A.R. Sadovnik and R. Coughlan (Eds.), Sociology of Education: A
Critical Reader (3rd ed., pp. 333-344).

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The idea I had before was more in line with the idea of passing instead of covering. It was interesting to hear that covering happens when people are already aware of your identity. For example a gay man who is out might still cover and act straight in the work place in order to not be discriminated. This concept is very interesting and I'm excited to read more about it

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I think covering means acting with an identity that isn't your own in order to fit in with societal norms. An example might be acting "White" when that is not your race.

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After reading: I think that I had sort of an idea of what it meant. I think that I definitely learned that it isn't necessarily because they are "embarrassed" by their identity... covering is more concerned with the social pressure of acting the "standard" way - meaning white/straight/Christian.

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So I was close to my guess I think! I had never heard of this term "covering" before. So after listening to the podcast, I understand it's this battle that many minority groups feel the need to downplay their true identity in order to avoid the pressure of needing to "fit the norms" set by friends, family and at work and there are many levels of covering including appearance and affiliation.

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My thought was almost accurate to the idea. covering one's cultural identity or their personal identities in order to be accepted and not getting hurt for it. In the interview the author has expressed his frustration as first when he felt that he should do what straight people do , and even with his family accepting , he felt the need to adapt to the straight norms. He also mentioned another kind of covering regarding the people's cultures such as the Latinos and the African American who are asked to give up anything that express their cultures which is totally unfair and it's actually a form of work persecution.

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I think "covering" might mean hiding your personal identity and not being honest about your real cultural identity, but maybe wanting to be honest about it.

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After listening to the interview I discovered I was very close! According to Yoshino, covering is downplaying an identity that is known to others. Covering is part of the process of assimilation, which Yoshino experienced as a gay person in three different ways: conversion, passing, and covering. Conversion involved his want as a youth to be straight, while passing involved acting straight. He explained that covering is something that all civil rights groups confront (i.e., race, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference).

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Before listening/reading I think the term "covering" might mean trying to mask your cultural identity in order to fit in

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I think "covering" might refer to the hiding of one's racial or cultural identity in order to avoid drawing unwanted attention.

Post-interview:
After listening to the interview I realized that my interpretation of covering was very similar to the actual definition. What I didn't realize, however, is that covering refers not just to physical and cosmetic characteristics, but speaking languages as well. Yoshino's example of a Latina not being able to speak Spanish in her workplace was something I had never considered, but it is nevertheless just as oppressive as other forms of identity covering. I also thought that Yoshino's description of the three stages of assimilation -> passing -> covering was interesting, because this progression shows that covering comes as a result of the world first deciding that your identity is the wrong one, then of you trying to fit in so much that you lose yourself by starting to believe in this exclusionary mindset.

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Before reading about 'covering' I am thinking that it means people covering up their true emotions about something. I think a lot of people cover things up in their lives that do not go with the social norm.
Once I listened to the interview from the author, my understanding of 'covering' is allowing people to not see differences. Meaning, allowing businesses to tell African Americans how to wear their hair so they look 'more white' or telling females to act more like men because men are tough. I think 'covering' is an issue in the world for minority groups because it doesn't allow for varieties.

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I think "covering" may refer to hiding things about yourself??  Like covering things up or covering for any misunderstandings or misconceptions you may have.

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Before moving forward, I think covering may mean to protect something, to cover it.

Post-Interview:
I was not familiar with this term in this context. I was correct, that it does mean to protect something.  I agree even more that wha the gay person or African American person is doing in their workplace, home or community is attempting to protect themselves by covering who they really are in the world.  This covering is done to help them maintain a job, employment, career advancement, fitting in, etc.
This is harmful to the individual covering because they are living a stressful life each moment as they do their best trying to make it each day.

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I think the term "covering" may be very similar to the term "masking" in that it may reflect an individual's attempts to put on a front to hide one's true self.

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Covering means to me when you want to hide something from others or would like to veil the truth.

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I think Covering means not showing or revealing your true or whole self to protect yourself from others options