Intersectionality
Black History Month
Published in
3 min readFeb 28, 2020
Noun
the complex, cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of discrimination (such as racism, sexism, and classism) combine, overlap, or intersect especially in the experiences of marginalized individuals or groups.
Source: Merriam Webster
Developed by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw
Intersectionality in Practice
- The imprisonment rate for African American women is twice that of white women. Source: NAACP
- In 2018, Black Women were paid 61 cents for every dollar earned by White Men. Source: AAUW
- Black women are three to four times more likely to die than white women during pregnancy. Source: CDC
- Black mothers were twice as likely to suffer harm when delivering babies than white mothers, even after adjusting for differing characteristics. Source: NIH
- In 2014, the founder of online dating site OkCupid reported that Black women receive 25% fewer first messages than other women. Source: Least Desirable
What Can You Do?
1. Listen to Black Women
Books
- Maya Angelou
- Toni Morrison
- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- Roxane Gay
- bell hooks
Podcasts
3. Listen to Black Women
Children’s Books
- My Brother Charlie
- Heart Picked: Elizabeth’s Adoption Tale
- Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History
- Mae Among the Stars
- In Your Hands
Schoolmates
- Parents: what is the demographic makeup of your child’s school? In 2018 Newsweek reported that school segregation was as bad as the 1960s.
Friend Groups
- Do you have black women in your social circle? Do your children have a diverse group of friends?
No other group in America has so had their identity socialized out of existence as have black women…When black people are talked about the focus tends to be on black men; and when women are talked about the focus tends to be on white women.
bell hooks
