In the wake of the second annual Women’s March, the nation was reminded just how prominent the feminist movement still is. Thousands of women gathered in the nation’s most populated cities all in the name of equality. But in the feminist movement, equality has multiple meanings to its members. Feminism is a multi-dimensional ideology, in which women’s identities overlap and their fight for equality then becomes harder. Since some women’s fights are different than others’, some goals get overshadowed. This is why intersectionality is important, and if your feminism isn’t intersectional, then we just don’t want it.
The life of a woman is not one-dimensional. Everyday women combat multiple forms of vulnerability, thus creating the intersectional idealism. Intersectional Feminism is,” the understanding of how women’s overlapping identities, such as race, class, religion, and sexual orientation, impact the way they experience oppression and discrimination,” according to USA Today. Its beginnings can be in found in Sojourner Truth’s Ain’t I A Woman. But it wasn’t until 1989 when Critical race theorist, Kimberle Crenshaw, coined the term in her work. Originally focused on the plight of black women, regarding how their race and gender intermixes into their discrimination, the term has further developed to include those who face discrimination on different cultural, biological, and socio-economic levels.
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Now let me stress its importance. Intersectionality stemmed from minority groups not being heard, but it now helps gives a voice to the voiceless. Women’s reasons for being feminists include equality and also breaking down the deeper stigmas that make their battle harder. The problems for women of color, those in the lgbtq+ community, and women of different economic classes go unaddressed. Most of the problems acknowledged or solved are for those un-oppressed, *cough cough*, white women. best example of this is seen during the suffrage movement during the 20th century. While white women got the right to vote with the 19th amendment, it still wasn’t much later that women of color were also granted that right. As Ava Vidal says in her article with The Telegraph,” Today’s feminist movement is said to be in danger of losing momentum unless it recognizes that every feminist is not white, middle class, cis-gendered, and able bodied.”
Now this lack of acknowledged of privilege within the feminist movement is what social media likes to call “white feminism”. White Feminism is the feminist movement’s biggest enemy, only acknowledging its mainstream goals. Urban Dictionary defines white feminism,A brand of feminism centered around the ideals and struggles of primarily white women. While not outright exclusive, its failure to consider other women and its preoccupation with Western standards and the problems faced by the “average woman” is often alienating to women of color, non-straight women, trans women, and women belonging to religious or cultural minorities. The term suggests that white women are aware of their privilege but do use it in a way to help those that are invisible. Alice Walker, famous black feminist and womanist, once said,”Part of the problem with Western feminists, I find, is that they take after their brothers and their brothers and their fathers”. The marginalization of those voices causes a further divide where we need to be coming together, further weakening the movement. When they chose to ignore their privilege, they are denying the rights of every other member to equality. The feminist movement is much more than showcasing large photos of vaginas and “my pussy my choice” posters. It’s also about the advancement of all woman.
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If you’re reading this and realizing the error of your ways, don’t worry. There’s still hope for you. The first step to becoming a more inclusive feminist is acknowledging any privilege, whether it be of race, sexual orientation, or being able-bodied. Become an ally to your fellow sister and have her educate you about what is going on among other oppressed groups. By asking questions you’re lessening the gap between each other.
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Intersectionality is just recognition that feminism has multiple levels. It broadens the conversation. It’s not only about the equality of men and woman, but also the equality of all women and genders. It calls out and challenges those who cause injustice, but before that can happen, it is up to us to understand that those injustices are not the same for all women.