Intersectionality is Us
What makes each of us unique? How do we know we are truly authentic? How does this allow us to embrace each aspect of our being? It is wonderful to know how much more we offer to the world than meets the surface. We are not only our race. We are not only our gender identity. And we are not only our religion. We are a beautiful and complex combination of all of these characteristics. But as we know, our society tends to confine us to a singular label: either praising the privileged aspect of our being or writing us off for what is considered a disadvantaged status. I became fascinated with the theory of intersectionality two summers ago and wished more students and community members were aware of how intrinsic each of our identities really is. I can only wish that concepts like this will be placed at the forefront of our future education system, but for now, it is up to us to teach and grow from one another.
Framework Definition & Explanation
It is always essential to point credit where it is due. The term intersectionality was first coined by Columbia University law professor, Kimberlé Crenshaw, in 1989, in her research on Black Feminism and recognition of being ‘doubly disadvantaged.’ This term has become increasingly popular and has been tossed around in much of our media today - but what really is it? The textbook definition would outline it as a framework for defining how each individual has a unique and complex set of overlapping identities that interact to shape the person, with some of their identities being more systematically disadvantaged than another. But here is the way I usually explain it to people, and helps me understand it better myself. Say we have a white, lesbian, young woman named Janice. And let’s say we have an older, straight, Mexican man named Frank. Now, Janice might have faced discrimination in her life due to her young age, her sexuality, and her gender identity; but her opportunities may have not been limited due to her whiteness. Frank, on the other hand, might face discrimination for his older age or his race; but most likely not for his identification as a man or his heterosexuality. What we see is that each human being, more or less, possesses a privileged identity on top of a marginalized one, meaning aspects of ourselves serve as an advantage in this world, while others have presented hardship. I find this fascinating as every person has complexities that do not meet the eye and, as a result, have faced a level of adversity when it comes to their personal presentation in the world.
Personal Experience
I sometimes also contextualize this idea as our hidden superpowers. Everything we are does not even begin to meet the eye. Therefore, an individual may be more comfortable bashing a community around someone they believe to not be associated with it, when in reality they are. Someone who practices a religion that might be largely discriminated upon may not outwardly present as affiliated with it, and might be exposed to sentiments of negativity regarding that identity due to others’ ignorance. These concepts allow us to act as undercover spies for implicit racism and bias. For example, I struggled with my bicultural identity for years. My mother did not teach my brothers and I Spanish - as she believed our knowledge of the language would serve as a beacon of discrimination in this country. As a result, I have faced calls of being a ‘fake Mexican’ from Mexican-American friends and family, as well as racial slurs by my white peers. I was never Mexican enough or American enough and could never understand where I fell in the realm of ethnic identity. I felt ostracized by communities that were both my home. But this is where intersectionality celebrates my character! It emphasizes how I can be connected to my Mexican community in a variety of ways while equally practicing my Italian roots. With intersectionality you are not a race or a gender or an occupation: you just are.
Endless Overlaps
This infinite Venn diagram better highlights each aspect of our being. Our personhood extends beyond our race or gender identity, into our socioeconomic or marital status, neurodivergence, and even geographic area. We truly are infinite! It also asserts that idea of mutual co-dependence between each identity. Our ethnicity might affect our education, and our education might affect our ability or mental health. Likewise, our mental health or ability might determine our educational experience which shapes our own view of ethnicity. Each characteristic we possess shapes our environment: and our environment shapes our view of our characteristics.
Privilege Spectrum
This chart better emphasis the spectrums and measurements of a socially ‘advantaged’ and ‘disadvantaged’ identity. This is based on modern norms and unjustified preferences for different groups. For example, the Male gender is seen on the side of privileged with the Female gender dubbed as the less dominant of the two. This idea can be seen in gender wage gaps in the workplace, stigma towards anger in women compared to men, and even lower female representation in the political sphere. Similarly, Upper and Upper-Middle Class is a characteristic shared in the privileged sector, whereas Working Class is seen as the less-desirable trait of the two. When we recognize how each of us represent a combination of both socially privileged and disprivileged identities, we can begin to elevate those of a historically written off nature.
Celebrating Our Identities
It is essential that we celebrate each aspect of our identity in every setting we are in. It is wonderful that there are recognition days and months dedicated to our singular identities - transgender rights day, women’s history month, black history, AAPI and so much more. But there are few dedications to black women, bisexual Mexicans, or gay Muslims - yet there are individuals with these attributes everywhere. And that is our first step. We can not get a national holiday for every single combination of character standing, but we have the ability to form resource groups with those expressing similar intersections. This is where our expansive social media services can come into play. This means using our platforms to connect with and form communities, and often support groups, with our similar identifying peers across the globe! Taking this initiative also allows you to feel more seen and promotes your own self-concept and personal representation. This means a platform for asexual native americans, Buddhist healthcare workers, or german individuals with civil engineering degrees! We are beautifully unique - but we are also understood. Feeling a sense of belonging is the most essential human desire of them all. But that means we have got to stay educated and open to others’ increasingly complex nature.
Stay curious about who a person is - ask questions, engage in meaningful conversations, and confront your own bias when it comes to new people with new identities.
Expand education - advocate for ethnic studies educational programs in K-12 curriculum so we can all learn about intersectionality from the beginning, and take the time to expose ourselves to new perspectives through literature and news programs.
Question and understand your own privilege - be uncomfortable with the fact that we will have some advantages that other people may not! And feel content in our less-represented identities while acting as the public visibility others may need to feel heard in their own nature.
We are all intersectional. It is our human nature. So be openly human. And be openly you.
