When we think of feminism, we think of equality between men and women. However, there is so much more going into feminism, such as race, class, ethnicity, sexuality, and even gender identity. Feminism is not one-dimensional, and it cannot be understood fully without acknowledging how these identities overlap.
Thanks to Kimberlé Crenshaw, we now have terms that help describe these overlapping experiences: intersectionality and intersectional feminism.
Kimberlé Crenshaw is an American civil rights advocate and a scholar of critical race theory who coined the term intersectionality in 1989. Intersectionality is a framework for understanding how race, gender, class, sexuality, and ability overlap to create systems of privilege or systematic oppression. Rather than viewing discrimination through a single lens, intersectionality examines how multiple identities work together and shape lived experiences.
Along with intersectionality, Crenshaw expanded discussions of intersectional feminism, which examines overlapping systems of oppression and discrimination that many women face due to ethnicity, sexuality, and socioeconomic status. These systems are not separate from one another, but they interact in ways that can intensify inequality.
Although the ideas behind intersectionality had existed long before, Kimberlé Crenshaw officially coined the term, allowing it to gain widespread recognition. She initially developed her argument while analyzing anti-discrimination laws that treated race and gender as completely separate categories. When laws consider race and gender separately, experiences of overlapping discrimination can be overlooked. The gap in protection has historically and primarily affected African American women and other women of color.
Crenshaw’s work has been foundational in identifying key issues of inequality, including the lack of visibility surrounding the killing of Black women and girls by police. She helped launch the #SayHerName campaign through the African American Policy Forum to bring attention to police violence against Black women and girls whose stories are often left out of national conversations.
However, Crenshaw’s work has not been without criticism. Some argue that intersectionality is simply a blanket term for “complicated” problems, or claim that it is a way to turn white men into outcasts or unfairly targets certain groups. In response, Crenshaw emphasizes that intersectionality is not about ranking oppressions or excluding anyone.
Instead, it is a way of understanding how various forms of social identity operate together and intensify one another. Our experiences are rarely shaped by just one part of who we are; they are shaped by the combination of our identities.
Kimberlé Crenshaw has been a pioneer in the fight for equal rights through her definition and advocacy of intersectionality. She continues to highlight how inequalities are not just the result of gender alone but also of the social identities we carry. Her work has sparked important conversations among younger generations and continues to influence activism, scholarship, and everyday discussions about justice.
During Black History Month, recognizing Kimberlé Crenshaw means recognizing the power of language and theory to create real change. Her work reminds us that feminism must be inclusive to be effective. She brings to light injustices within society and does not back down when criticized. She is someone to listen to, someone to learn from, and someone whose work continues to shape the future of feminism.