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Intersectionality Assessment
Intersectionality is a conceptual framework developed to understand how multiple forms of
oppression and discrimination intersect to shape individuals' experiences. Created by Kimberlé Crenshaw
in her 1989 seminal work, “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique
of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics,” intersectionality stresses that
identities like race, gender, class and sexuality are not separate and distinct from each other. In fact, they
interconnect to create distinctive modes of privilege and marginalization. Anna Carastathis (2016) further
explores intersectionality as a tool for understanding complex power relations and advocating for more
inclusive and equitable social and legal policies.
When discussing gender, it is crucial to use intersectionality because gender cannot be fully
understood without considering its interplay with other axes of identity, such as race, socioeconomic
status, or sexual orientation. For example, while both a white woman and a Black woman face maledominated structures, their experiences are also unique to both women as the added racism affects the
black woman as a result of systemic racism. Overlooking these intersections risks presenting an
oversimplified account of how systemic inequalities operate, as Crenshaw (1989) demonstrated through
the case of Black women in dealing with workplaces. She claimed that antidiscrimination laws often miss
the multiple nature of race- and gender-based oppression.
However, intersectionality can be, and often is, misused or misunderstood. It’s sometimes boiled
down to a checklist of identities, robbing the framework of its political emphasis on structural power
relations. The misuse of intersectionality can make it seem unimportant, turning it into just a trendy term
for diversity instead of a tool to examine and break down systemic inequalities. Instead of simply listing
differences, it should focus on how systems of power are connected.
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Intersectionality applies to identities by highlighting the ways in which individuals embody
multiple, intersecting social categories. For example, a queer Latina woman navigates the world
differently than a straight Latina woman or a queer white woman due to the distinct interactions between
her gender, sexuality, and ethnicity. These intersecting identities shape her lived experiences,
opportunities, and vulnerabilities in unique ways. Crenshaw’s (1989) analysis of the experiences of Black
women in the workplace demonstrates this application, as their exclusion from feminist and antiracist
movements revealed the limitations of single-axis frameworks.
Beyond identities, intersectionality also applies to systems of oppression, or what Crenshaw
(1989) referred to as "interlocking systems of domination." Patriarchy, racism, capitalism, and
heteronormativity, for instance, do not function independently but rather mutually reinforce. In so doing,
these systems produce a matrix of domination that maintains social hierarchies (Carastathis 2016). For
example, low-income women of color encounter the compounded burden of racial injustices prevalent in
healthcare systems, economic disparities, and expectations surrounding caregiving. An intersectional lens
shows how these systems intersect and how some barriers depending on a single issue analysis might be
invisible.
The legal system, however, often struggles to accommodate intersectionality. In antidiscrimination lawsuits, courts typically require plaintiffs to prove discrimination based on a single
characteristic, such as race or gender. Crenshaw (1989) criticized this "single-axis" framework, arguing
that it eliminates the experiences of people who experience discrimination in the intersections of multiple
identities. In DeGraffenreid v. General Motors, for instance, the plaintiffs — Black women — claimed
that the company’s seniority system disproportionately denied them opportunity. The court rejected their
claim, arguing that Black men and white women were not similarly disadvantaged, and ignoring the
unique intersection of race and gender discrimination confronted by Black women.
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This one-dimensional approach remains in many areas of law, causing significant barriers for
individuals who experience intersectional discrimination to remedy such wrongs. For instance, race-based
discrimination suits might exclude evidence of gender bias and vice versa, splintering experiences that
are fundamentally intertwined. These limitations curtail the law’s capacity to address structural
inequalities in their gestalt, leaving intact the very structures that beliefs in intersectionality aim to
disrupt.
In conclusion, intersectionality is an essential framework for understanding and addressing the
complex ways in which identities and systems of oppression intersect. As Crenshaw (1989) and
Carastathis (2016) illustrate, failing to adopt an intersectional lens risks marginalizing those who exist at
the intersections of multiple forms of discrimination. By applying this framework thoughtfully, we can
better advocate for policies and practices that promote equity and inclusion across diverse social and legal
contexts.
References
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Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist
Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics. University of
Chicago Legal Forum, 1(8), 139-167.
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Intersectionality, Black Feminist Thought, and Women- of- Color Organizing- Anna Carastathis
(Chapter 1)
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Basements and Intersections-Anna Carastathis (Chapter 2)
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Intersectionality as a provisional concept-Anna Carastathis (Chapter 3)
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