Intersectionality
Understanding the Overlapping Layers of Identity and Oppression
What is Intersectionality?
Intersectionality, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, describes how different aspects of a person’s identity (race, gender, sexuality, disability, class, etc.) intersect to shape their experiences of privilege and oppression.
“If we aren’t intersectional, some of us, the most vulnerable, are going to fall through the cracks.”
– Kimberlé Crenshaw
What is Intersectionality?
At its core, intersectionality recognises that people experience oppression and privilege in different ways based on their race, gender, class, disability, sexuality, nationality, and other identity factors.
-
It rejects the idea that oppression can be understood through a single-axis approach (e.g., just race or just gender).
-
It shows how systems of oppression (racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, etc.) are interconnected.
Example 1: Gender & Race in the Workplace
-
A white woman may face gender discrimination but still benefit from white privilege.
-
A black woman faces both gender and racial discrimination, which creates unique challenges different from those faced by white women or black men.
Example 2: Disability & Economic Status
-
A wealthy disabled person may have access to medical care and support systems that a low-income disabled person does not.
-
This highlights how class intersects with disability to shape a person’s life experience.