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Crenshaw Intersectionality

Decent Essays

Intersectionality is a term that was introduced by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, who is known to be an American civil rights advocate. The term itself helps one explore identity beyond race and gender, and more into concepts such as racism or oppression. The term also discusses further critical insight on race, class, gender, ethnicity, and so on, and how they all shape social inequality (Collins, 2015, p. 2). One cannot escape what is taught by large institutions such as educational or police sectors as it has become a collective way of understanding. Intersectionality helps us gain an insight to as why certain things are the way that they are when it comes to our own identity. This concept has not only helped us unlock certain parts of our identities, but also has helped us draw conclusions on how to lessen the damage. Intersectionality provides a strong starting point for victims to recognise the injustices that they face in everyday life and how they can be solved. …show more content…

For example, an Indian woman who may have grown up in the same neighbourhood as a white woman, will still have a different experience. Her identity and surrounding stereotypes about herself would come from such factors as religion, beliefs and family upbringings. The white woman may have better chances of getting a job without her identity being questioned. However, the Indian woman may be rejected on the basis of her identity, perhaps the colour of her skin or the way her name sounds. Such past events as the 9/11 Terrorist attacks have allowed the media to portray a person of colours in a negative light. The continuous enforcement from the media only feeds negative stereotypes further into the minds of the audience. Intersectionality allows us to discuss critically as to why her identity restricts her of opportunities despite surroundings factors such as location, time and even

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