What is Intersectional feminism?

I attended a very interesting talk on intersectionality which I found very refreshing.  And I agree with Kimberle Crenshaw. The problem we have is we forget that when we talk of women oppression on individual basis, we create other channels of oppression. For example talking about ‘glass ceilings for women’ doesn’t take away the fact that for black women it’s more like ‘concrete ceiling’ because of the racism, and what about their class, ability of even gender?

So Intersectional feminism recognizes that certain groups of people have multi-layered facets in life that they have to deal with, such as racism and sexism

Intersectionality is a term that was coined by American professor Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989. The concept already existed but she put a name to it. The textbook definition states:

‘’The view that women experience oppression in varying configurations and in varying degrees of intensity. Cultural patterns of oppression are not only interrelated, but are bound together and influenced by the intersectional systems of society. Examples of this include race, gender, class, religion, ability, and ethnicity.”

In other words, certain groups of women have multi-layered facets in life that they have to deal with. There is no one-size-fits-all type of feminism. For example, I am a black woman and as a result I face both racism and sexism as I navigate around everyday life.

Even though the concept of intersectionality in feminism has been around for decades, it only seems to have made it into mainstream debate in the past year or so. And yet still so many people are confused by what it means, or what it stands for.

It doesn't help that the message surrounding intersectional feminism has been somewhat confused.

The main thing 'intersectionality' is trying to do, I would say, is to point out that feminism which is overly white, middle class, cis-gendered and able-bodied represents just one type of view - and doesn't reflect on the experiences of all the multi-layered facets in life that women of all backgrounds face. For example how does a woman Professor sitting in the comfort of their office at one of the Oxbridge University represent a poor woman struggle in the middle of nowhere in Africa, India or Brazil?

Until the mainstream feminist movement starts listening to the various groups of women within it, then it will continue to stagnate and not be able to move forward. The only result of this is that the movement will become fragmented and will continue to be less effective.

There is the mistaken belief that the only 'privilege' that you can have relates to skin colour. This is not the case. You can be privileged because of your class, educational background, religious background, the fact that you’re able bodied or cis-gendered. A lot of black women can and do have privileges too.

Everyone I talk to about feminism from my poor country of Zimbabwe has a problem with this term. To them, feminism is overwhelmingly white, middle class, cis-gendered and able bodied. When voices within a movement are marginalised to the point where they don’t even think that it is for them, the only result of this is that the movement is weakened becoming less effective.

Intersectionality is still a relatively new term for the masses - and yet its message is one that surely any feminist can relate to: start listening to and including various groups of women, and their multi-layered facets and experiences of life, and respect them, in the overall debate.