In 2017, feminism is no longer some far-off movement that only liberals and hippies support. Though still subject to ridicule and criticism, this new wave of feminism has become one of the most progressive and effective movements of its time. It’s important to understand, though, that not all the “waves” of feminism have been as forward-thinking as today’s – and that doesn’t go without saying that we don’t have a long way to go.
The first and second waves of feminism (mainly in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries) were nearly only focused on fighting for the rights of white women in America. Famous feminists and leaders did not put much emphasis on women of color, women that were part of the LGBTQIA+ community, or those that were suffering in third world countries. Now that the feminist agenda has been broadened to to include all women, it’s pretty crucial to understand what you’re supporting – which brings us to the importance of intersectional feminism.
Intersectional feminism is understanding the different identities of women (including race, class, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and more) and how they impact the way they experience oppression. In other words, by being a supporter of the intersectional feminist movement, you are advocating for the rights of all different walks of women.
To fully grasp the concept of intersectional feminism, the idea of privilege is brought into the conversation. Privilege seems like a taboo word – with good reason, though. More often than not, it seems as though the most privileged members of society either refuse or fail to realize the advantages they can still uphold. It’s upsetting to come to terms with, but the fact is that white feminists are simply disadvantaged due to their gender. Black feminists are disadvantaged because of both their gender and their race. A lesbian Asian feminist becomes even further disadvantaged because of her gender, race, and sexual orientation.
Intersectional feminism is so important in our society for a number of reasons. But the main one to recognize is that people have spent too much time trying to divide women. Throughout the entire course of history, women have continued to receive the short end of the stick and have constantly been told what they can or cannot do. Intersectional feminism means standing up for each and every one of your fellow sisters, regardless of the disadvantages they experience on a daily basis. It does not mean you have to be best friends with every woman you come across, but it does mean advocating for the rights of females everywhere.
Despite our best efforts as women and active feminists, our society is not at the most progressive place that it realistically should be in. If we educate ourselves on intersectional feminism and the importance of the movement, women everywhere can begin to free themselves of the chains supplied by humanity.