A basic definition of intersectionality is that everyone has their own experiences in life, so we must consider all aspects of other people and what they have gone through regarding discrimination and oppression. An example of this is that I am a straight cisgender white man which are all characteristics that come with certain privileges, and this makes it hard for me to understand where people of less privilege may be coming from. This is where looking at things through an intersectional lens can help us to better understand others and their beliefs. Without being able to use this lens our efforts to try and combat our even just understand injustices in feminism will ultimately sustain the inequalities brought on by the patriarchy.
Intersectionality can also help us to understand how women experience discrimination differently. “White Feminism” is a type of feminism that shows us how some straight white feminists may overshadow the struggles that women of color, LGBTQ+ women, and women of other minority groups may face. White feminism is the belief that the way white women experience inequalities is the way that all women will experience inequalities. Even though it is called white feminism, we need to recognize that not all feminists who are white practice white feminism.
In my research, I ended up coming across a woman named Bridie Taylor who emphasized a few key things that we can all do to make positive changes and become more of an intersectional ally.
what can i do?
Check your privilege- All your social identities play into your ‘privilege’, even if you didn’t ask for it. Reflect on these and consider how this impacts the discriminations you do and don’t experience.
–Bridie Taylor
Coming from a privileged background being confronted with this has been a new experience for me. I have had to open my eyes and look at things from other people’s points of view because the discrimination I face as a straight white man is going to be different than that of more marginalized groups.
Listen and learn- At its very core, intersectionality is about learning and understanding views from other women. But remember it’s not the responsibility of marginalised groups to do all the work in educating people on their experiences. This often takes up lots of emotional labour and should never be taken for granted so be prepared to help undertake some of the labour by doing your own research.
-Bridie Taylor
While I agree that it is important that we all listen and learn I don’t understand why she thinks it is an obligation for people like myself to speak up on issues like these. Particularly because I don’t have very many opinions or very meaningful opinions on these topics, so I don’t feel it is my place to speak up.
Make space- Ask yourself if you’re the right person to take up space or speak on certain issues. Centre stories and actions on those with the lived experiences. Don’t speak for them, don’t speak over them.
-Bridie Taylor
I completely agree that there are times, places, and topics where certain people should take more of a backseat and listen to others who have a more lived experience with the topics discuss and negotiate.
Watch your language- Much of what we say every day is subconsciously exclusionary and often offensive to marginalized groups. We must recognize when we use such terms and call others out when we hear them use those terms.
-Bridie Taylor
I am someone who is definitely guilty of using slang terms that might not seem intentionally offensive, but that may have negative connotations toward certain groups. I also find it hard to call people out when I hear that they might have been using offensive language especially if it is a close friend of mine.
Overall looking at things through intersectionality helps us to address the discrimination and oppression that people of diverse backgrounds face. We all have personalities and identities that have been shaped by our personal experiences, which makes it important to listen and understand where people of different backgrounds come from.
ShoutOut! James Madison University 