Let's talk about: Intersectionality
Intersectionality: the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage.
Black legal schoalr, Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality” in a 1989 Essay.
What that means is that all systems of oppression are linked. It can be easy for people to say that racism or sexism or ableism so on and so forth are all separate things. And that a conversation about one need not consider the others. In the same way that people do not usually own only one privilege, people also tend to have more than one aspect of their identity which is discriminated against. You can’t divorce them from each other. Because all systems of oppression serve the same end:
To prop up a particular set of individuals to the exclusion of others.
It’s this idea of all systems of oppression being compartmentalized, that there is one “real” problem that keeps people who want to fight for equality from working together.
In my last article I repeated the phrase “If you're not at the table you’re on the menu”. Intersectionality says that those of us on the menu are on it together, and our attempts to get a seat at the table will be fruitless if we leave our brothers, sisters, and siblings behind.
I am not an expert in intersectionality. But I have done my best to understand it and I want to share what I know.
Intersectionality is often talked about in terms of intersectional feminism. Which is a movement to change feminism’s focus. Mainstream modern feminism is sometimes called “White Feminism”. I know- “But why are you bringing race into this?” Feminism is a powerful movement for the betterment of all women, or at least it should be. Remember what I said about modes of oppression being interconnected? This is a prime example. Many of the gains that women have made in the last decades are felt primarily by white women, while women of color are left in the dust, completely left out of the conversation.
The fight for wage equality is a big one for all feminism. The commonly quoted $0.78 earned by women to every white man's dollar is ubiquitous, it’s proof of how far we need to go. However when other women’s wages are considered, $0.64 for African American women and $0.54 for Latina and Hispanic women, it becomes clear how far we have to come.
Feminism also has a gender issue. Because you see, not all women are female. Feminism can no longer ignore and exclude Trans women and Trans Femmes. We can’t afford to ignore or exclude people any more. The average American has a 1 in 18,989 chance of being murdered (According to 2010 data, although I couldn’t find reliable numbers for today’s risk there is widespread agreement that it is in fact lower). For Trans women it’s 1 in 12. For Trans Women of Color it’s 1 in 8. White feminism has let these people down.
So, what can you do to be more intersectional?
1. Acknowledge your privilege.
I know. It’s hard to see yourself as privileged, especially if you have worked incredibly hard in your life. Us hardworking boot strapping Americans hate the idea that something was handed to us just because of who we are. If you find your mind revolting at the idea of “privilege” think of it as “Shit you don’t have to deal with” or “Things society makes harder for other people”.
Some common privileges given to people in America (This is by no means a comprehensive list):
Race/White- Do the majority of people in government have the same skin tone you do? Can you turn on almost any TV channel and expect to see people with your skin color?
Gender/ Male- There is a level of respect given to men that women have to fight for. We teach our boys to respect girls, but we don’t need to teach girls to respect boys. Society will force them to.
Language- Is English your first language? Can you make a doctor’s appointment or read an official document without bringing someone into read it to you
Straight- Have you always been able to marry the person you want regardless of their gender?
Non-Disabled- Do you have a physical disability? Are you able to enter and exit any building by the main entrance regardless of stairs? Can you navigate a strange city alone without the help of a guide or guide animal? Can you consume mass media with no changes for your senses.
Neurotypical- Does your brain function within the parameters set by the rest of society? Are you able to focus on one task at a time and complete it.
Religion/ Christian- Are you able to find a house of worship in any town in America? Can you be reasonably sure that your holidays will be widely acknowledged and often given time off? Do you have the opportunity to vote for politicians who openly practice the same faith as you?
Wealth/ Middle Class- Have you ever been homeless? Have you ever been on public assistance? If you got into financial trouble, do you have family who would be able to bail you out?
Education- Did you have access to a good primary education that taught you the basic skills (literacy, math) that you would need in order to live in society? Did you pursue post secondary education?
Citizenship- Have you ever had to navigate the American visa and Immigration system? Do you have a passport, or could you get one fairly easily? Are you able to travel without fear of being locked out of the country?
Size- Can you buy clothes at any store you can afford? Can you fit into regular office chairs and movie theatre seats?
Just to name a few. Take a good hard look at your life and think about the things that you don’t have to deal with. Think about the prejudices and hurdles that you don’t have to jump. That’s not to say that you haven’t dealt with some, almost everyone has faced some adversity in their lives, and the way you handle that adversity says a lot about you. I hope it says a lot of good things. But understand that just because you have had hard times and you have fought and you have crawled and worked yourself to the bone to get to where you are doesn't mean that other people don’t put forth the same amount of effort you do and not see it go as far.
There are things in this world that just make life harder on some people. However, a lot of that hardship can be alleviated by a slight cultural shift. By society as a whole deciding to spend just a little more time worrying about some things and not others.The first step is acknowledging that these problems are real, valid, and fixable.
2. Don’t expect others to do emotional labor for you.
One of the ultimate expressions of privilege is to expect someone else to calmly and rationally explain what you did wrong when you have hurt or pissed them off. Expecting them to put their own feelings aside for your personal betterment. It is no one else’s job to educate you. Find your own answers.
3. Seek out voices from other groups that you don't interact with regularly
The internet is an amazing place and you can hear from a near infinite number of perspectives. Find new ones. Once you know your own privilege you can look for people outside of that. A word of warning, keep #2 in mind. If someone puts their thoughts and experience out there, they’re not necessarily volunteering to be your personal tutor on social justice.
4. Call out bullshit everywhere.
Now that you’re aware of your own privilege, and you can see how privilege is hurting people, it’s on you to do the emotional labor. Don’t just let bullshit slide because it’s easier. Remember, we’re all connected. Your uncle’s racist jokes might not personally offend you, but they are a major part of normalizing behaviors and attitudes that oppress and degrade your fellow human beings. Same thing goes for sexist, homophobic, transphobic… all of it. Stand up. Stand up for your fellow humans and call out the bullies.
Sound like a lot of hard work? It is. Unlearning oppressive behaviors and acknowledging other humans as real people and not just a pile of stereotypes is the first step in real equality. Remember, the more privileged you are, the louder your voice is, the more social power you have. The more privileged you are the more we need you in this fight.
People love to make fun of people who stand up for others. Bullies have always done this, if the social cost of standing up for the people the bully wants to put down is too high, no one will do it. If you feel more shame in standing up for someone than you do by sitting by.
Join me next week when we discuss ethical non-monogamy/ polyamory. Until then be safe, you are worth protecting.
Data from 2010 on causes of death and demographics in America. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr61/nvsr61_04.pdf
Source for data on trans individuals being murdered: http://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2015/may/13/garnet-coleman/garnet-coleman-said-transgender-person-has-1-12-ch/