Intersectionality Is Here To Stay: Pop-Culture, Tech, and Beyond
During the Super Bowl LVII, held on February 12th, Justina Miles made headlines as the first Deaf person to perform at the event. Before the game began, Miles signed Lift Every Voice and Sing (sometimes referred to as the “Black national anthem”) — this was the first time the song had been performed in ASL at the Super Bowl. During the Apple Music Halftime Show, Miles wowed audiences with her impeccable dance moves and ASL interpretation of Rihanna’s performance.
In a later interview, she told the Today Show:
[It’s important] not only for me to share this experience with the whole world, but to really bring that empowerment to millions and millions of Black Deaf people all over the country who’ve never really seen that before.
Note that Miles specifically wants to serve as representation for Black Deaf people. While both the Black and Deaf communities may separately have channels for representation and advocacy, Black Deaf people face both ableism and racism, leading to challenges and underrepresentation issues which are unique to their specific identity. For example, Deaf schools weren’t open to Black students until after the desegregation of public schools. These overlapping identities meant that Black Deaf people faced additional barriers and were denied access to education for much longer than people in either the Black or Deaf communities.
This intersection of marginalized identities is referred to as intersectionality. The term encompasses the idea that each individual has multiple overlapping identities, which create specific challenges and points of view.
The Rise of “Intersectionality”
The term was first popularized in a law review article by Columbia law professor Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1982.
Crenshaw reviewed a case in which a Black woman named Emma DeGraffenreid attempted to sue a car manufacturer for discriminatory hiring practices. The court dismissed the case, on the basis that the company hired both women and Black people. However, upon further investigation, it was revealed that the car manufacturer hired only Black men and white women — denying employment to Emma and others like her.
In her article, Crenshaw used the term “intersectionality” to describe the unique discrimination these women were facing. As she explained in a TEDTalk:
[I thought] maybe a simple analogy of an intersection might allow judges to better see Emma’s dilemma. So if we think about this intersection, the roads of this intersection would be the way that the workforce was structured by race and by gender. And then the traffic in those roads would be the hiring policies and the other practices that ran through those roads. Because Emma was both Black and female, she was positioned precisely where those roads overlapped, experiencing the simultaneous impact of the company’s gender and race traffic.
While the term was originally used to describe the experiences of Black women, the term can be applied to various identities. Many specific people groups, often at the intersection of types of oppression, are often largely invisible to society and the law.
As Crenshaw explained:
Without frames that allow us to see how social problems impact all the members of a targeted group, many will fall through the cracks of our movements, left to suffer in virtual isolation.
Thus, intersectionality can be used as a framework for discussing the coexistence of multiple identities, which may contribute to unique marginalization and obstacles in a person’s life.
Intersectionality Across the Spectrum
The term gained traction beyond legal circles and was added to the Oxford Dictionary in 2015. Intersectionality has become a prominent topic in discussions of DEI and advocacy; however, it has also been the subject of political controversy.
Critics of the framework argue that intersectionality emphasizes group identities while robbing society of individualism. However, the framework allows us to focus and care for people as individuals. Others contend that it creates a hierarchy in which the person with the most oppressed identities rises to the top, while those experiencing the least victimization are sequestered to the bottom. In reality, the idea of intersectionality — as Crenshaw herself clarified — isn’t about creating new racial hierarchies, but about eliminating them altogether.
Rather than a power structure, intersectionality can be conceptualized as a prism of light. When we see clear light, we’re actually seeing colors from across the visible spectrum. This is why we see a rainbow when that light is refracted back through a prism. Each color can be thought of as an identity like race, gender, or ability. If one color is removed, the light cannot shine through the same way.
We are all the product of our component parts. Furthermore, those parts are what make us shine as individuals.
Intersectionality in the Workplace
So how do we best care for each other as intersectional individuals in the workplace? As explained on Indeed’s Hire Potential podcast:
[DEI] doesn’t just sit with the diversity and inclusion team or human resources, but it’s embedded in all of your people, processes, and policies.
Incorporating intersectionality largely involves reflecting on company practices and asking hard questions.
For example, companies can incorporate intersectionality by examining their hiring procedures. While measures may be in place for reaching BIPOC or differently-abled candidates, are differently-abled BIPOC candidates making it through the pipeline?
Another good practice is asking for feedback. Ensure that people feel accurately represented and cared for. In addition to fostering an inclusive and respectful environment, this type of participation is also shown to boost productivity.
Additionally, it’s important to be mindful of the images used in company material. How are individuals represented within visual aids? Is there a regularly-used image of a wheelchair user or a Black person? Is a graphic of a person who is pregnant or wearing a religious veil included? Though it may seem insignificant, a little representation can go a long way — both to normalize and empower people and their experiences.
Storytelling can also be a powerful tool to increase empathy and expand people’s awareness. However, it’s important to be mindful of who’s asked to speak — rather than having a token member of a specific group, encourage the sharing of multiple narratives and points of view.
Lastly, it’s important to foster an environment of continuous learning. We all have something to share and something to learn from others. From new hires to senior staff, everyone benefits from staying informed and keeping an open mind.
Beyond hierarchies or political correctness, intersectionality is about acknowledging the unique challenges that each person faces as a result of their component characteristics. When we stop to carefully consider the different facets and overlapping identities in each others’ lives, we make the workplace (and the world) a better place for everyone.
Prepared by: Cassidy Mayo
