http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/01/why-our-feminism-must-be-intersectio…
It’s time to talk about that dirty F word again. Yes, feminism. But this time “intersectionality” is coming along for the ride.
In 1989 American civil rights activist and pundit of critical race theory Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw laid claim to this term, which is increasingly applied to the women’s movement. Intersectional feminism is the position that women possess interrelated identities that are associated with and detrimentally impacted by structures of authority, subjugation, and prejudice. Women are oppressed in intricate forms that vary in degree based on race, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, ability, ethnicity, age, etc. My experience as a Caucasian, able-bodied woman is vastly different from that of Tammy Duckworth, a Thai American and disabled veteran. And both of our lives diverge from the life of a black, transgender woman like Laverne Cox. Although this particularly cognizant brand of feminism has trickled into mainstream discourse in the past few years, it has not yet freely flowed. Conventional feminism continues to be dominated by a heteronormative, cis-gendered, affluent white perspective.
If we closely examine our past, the historical whitewashing of the women’s movement is uncovered. Perhaps most alarmingly, we can see how white feminists have worked to actively silence and discredit their black counterparts. We have all read textbooks praising the quintessential suffragettes Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, but many are unaware that these women capitalized on racial tensions to further their own agenda. Anthony argued that whites were morally and intellectually superior to blacks. Similarly, Stanton utilized racist language to advocate for the right of white women to vote on the grounds that they deserved to be elevated to a higher social power than their racial inferiors. Even after the ratification of the 19th Amendment, black women were de facto disenfranchised due to discriminatory registration and voting tactics, predominately in the South. It was not until the Voting Rights Act was passed during the height of the Civil Rights Movement that black women could effectively vote. They earned suffrage in spite of white feminists, not because of them. Regrettably, black women are not the only minority demographic that has traditionally been excluded from the women’s movement.
Transgender women are another subgroup that is too often overlooked by feminists. As science progresses and we learn more about ourselves and our species as a whole, the line between male and female is becoming progressively blurred. We now know that “gender” and “sex” are not interchangeable terms. Sex denotes biological features, while gender is indicative of the identity we form based on cultural and societal constructs.
There are more than two genders: humans can claim one gender, many of them, or none at all. There are also more than two sexes. If you do not believe me, I recommend Googling “hermaphroditism”, “Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome”, or “Klinefelter syndrome”. Fair warning, some of the associated pictures might shock you, but a reality that transcends binaries is something we must face. Intersectional feminism takes these details into account and operates in the modern age accordingly. A central pillar of feminism has commonly been sexual and reproductive health care, including access to safe and affordable abortion as well as widespread dissemination of contraceptives. Going a step further, intersectional feminism applies this concept to transgender women. What about gender confirmation surgery and hormone therapy? Like the little pink pills so many of us take daily, these are things that are essential to the bodily autonomy of a transgender woman.
An additional distinct aspect of intersectional feminism is its rejection of heteropatriarchy in a manner that benefits both women and men. Deemphasizing archaic norms that value power in the form of manliness allows women of all walks of life to flourish as sovereign beings. Without hindrance, women can then embrace leadership roles in the public and private realms, whether it is in the government or in the household. Representation matters for all women, not just those that lack melanin. If little girls of color cannot see reflections of themselves in government leadership, in CEOs of large corporations, in athletes, or in world-renowned scientists, they will never be able to fulfill their need for self-actualization. We all suffer when the talents and self-worth of our most vulnerable children are not nurtured. By dismantling preconceived notions of what constitutes masculinity, intersectional feminism also protects men and boys. It teaches them that it is okay for them to be vulnerable and ask for help. Not all men need to be interested in cars and manual labor and other stereotypical “male” things. Men can wear makeup, paint their nails, and cry when they read the latest Nicholas Sparks novel because these things do not define “masculinity”. Intersectional feminists believe in fostering a culture in which men are comfortable expressing their emotions without anger or violence.
Intersectional feminism is not just for Americans either. It is for the little African girl who had her genitals mutilated. It is for the Chinese baby girl whose parents dumped her at an orphanage because they wanted a son. It is for the Middle Eastern teenage girl who had acid thrown in her face because she turned down a marriage proposal from a 50-year-old man. And it is for the millions of girls all over the world who receive very minimal to no education at all.
The future of the women’s movement will be defined by our ability and willingness to incorporate intersectionality. During this critical point in history, it is imperative we recognize and understand the multifaceted, unique struggles of marginalized women. We must reach deep within ourselves to reject mere sympathy and strive for genuine empathy. Acknowledging the hardships of others does not invalidate those we confront in our own lives. And for those of us who are fortunate enough to have inherent privilege, whether it is through the color of our skin or the money in our pockets, it is our duty to be a voice for the voiceless. The advantaged circumstances I am born into are not my fault, but my privilege will become problematic if I do not actively participate in the solution to inequity.
Your fight is my fight.