Intersectionality, a Necessity?
As we enter this new age of feminism, it is important to remember how multi faceted of an issue it is. Intersectionality almost rolls off the tongue like a buzz word, but it is crucial in any part of conversation about feminism. It’s not necessarily fun to play the game of “who is the least privileged”, but low income minority females experience the prejudice of their race and their gender almost everyday. It’s easy to come to the conclusion that the privilege experienced by women of color is little to almost nonexistent.
In an NPR interview between Eric Westervelt and Janel George of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund counsel, the systemic disadvantages faced by black females in education is analyzed. In a new NAACP Report, data is found that suggest that black females are doing worse than the national average for girls on almost every measure of academic achievement.When looking at such a stark statement your first question is most likely why, and then how. Throughout the conversation three problems and three potential solutions are discussed by the two to address the disparity found in the new report. In the interview, disproportionate discipline, unequal access to higher education, and low funds and resources are set apart as reasons for the disparities in education for these girls. Beside the three issues stated, another hindrance is a lack of research. There are very few studies that look directly at what is affecting black girls in education. Janel George urges that more data is needed, more investment (of resources and funds), and more access to available schooling is needed in order to begin to tackle this problem. When it comes to discipline practices or addressing the needs of African American girls, lacking proper and specific research inadvertantly allows the probelm to persist.
The report published by the NAACP is a first step in the right direction to hopefully enact some positive change and ignite a movement that can make a real difference. Resource inequities, discipline and lack of access are not new problems and they are not specific problems to black girls, but approaching the issue from each level that it affects will make it that much easier to eradicate once and for all. This conclusion may sound unrealistically positive but even Janel George finishes the article by saying, “ we need to have frank discussions about race and gender and start to implement cultural competency training for educators and administrators so we can address the underlying implicit bias that is resulting in so many disparities for African-American girls.” It’s okay to be positive, because there is hope for a solution when you realize that there’s more than one problem.
http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2014/09/25/351186785/q-a-the-mis-education-of-african-american-girls
