Intersectionality

Module 1.6 what is Intersectionality

What is Intersectionality?

Intersectionality is a framework for understanding how we (as individuals and as groups) are made up of our identities and that we are made up of many identities, and that power imbalances occur across the spectrum of personal and shared identities that contribute to discrimination and oppression. (Take a look at the images above to see examples of some of the identities that we may have.)

The term was coined by civil rights advocate and professor Kimberle Crenshaw in 1989 to describe how everyone has their own unique experiences with discrimination and oppression. A prominent example being that a woman who is African American can be discriminated against as being both a woman (sexism) and as being African American (racism); and that addressing one form of discrimination doesn't negate or address the other form of discrimination that is still occurring.

In our work we use the term intersectionality to:

1. Understand and describe who we are as a person and our identities

2. Understand and describe that we are a culmination of many identities

3. Understand and describe our relationships with others and their identities

4. Understand and describe that many of our identities are shared with other people (culture)

5. Understand and describe the power imbalances that occur in relation to our multiple identities

6. Understand and describe that discrimination and oppression can be compounded (we can be discriminated against and oppressed for more than one of our identities at the same time)

7. Understand and describe how our identities, the intersectionality of our identities, and our experiences with discrimination and oppression impact our wellbeing and our mental health

M1.7 Intersectionality Videos

Let's take a moment to watch a short introduction describing Intersectionality:

Now, let's take a moment to dive a bit deeper into the relationship between identity/culture, power imbalances, and oppression:

Let's watch Kimberle Crenshaw address Intersectionality in this TedxTalk video:

This video does contain sensitive content and may be activating for some individuals

Why is Intersectionality important?

Let's take a moment to think about the following questions

1. Who am I and what makes up who I am? What are the identities I am a part of? What are some of the identities I belong to that I don't consciously think about?

2. Think of a time in your life when you were discriminated against for two or more of your identities? How did this discrimination make you feel, how did it impact your mental health and wellbeing?

3. Can you think of a time where you discriminated against someone for two or more of their identities? How do you think this discrimination made that person feel? How do you think it impacted their mental health and wellbeing?

Now let's take some time to do a few identity and intersectionality activities: