Intersectionality

Intersectionality is the idea that many people face multiple oppressions and have varied experiences of discrimination, based on multiple characteristics.

The word 'intersectionality' was coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, a black woman who saw that she faced bias and inequality because of both her gender and her race, and their intersection. The idea is that multiple forms of oppression can impact one person, based on many different characteristics. So Crenshaw's lived experience as a black woman was different to that of a white woman or a black man, and the systemic racism she faced was exacerbated further and in different ways by systemic sexism. This is an informative video of Crenshaw discussing the term, and the progress being made world-wide.

Image: By Marco Verch under Creative Commons 2.0, accesible from https://foto.wuestenigel.com/diversity-equality-and-inclusion-words-on-hanging-on-the-rope-papers/