Intersectionality is the overlap of cultural or social categorizations such as gender or race and the ways that these identity intersections impact an individual’s interaction with society.
As a woman I believe that I notice sexism in culture and in systems fairly easily. I pick up on circumstances where gender inequality exists because it impacts me personally. However, it is often harder to recognize injustice that does not impact us or even worse, that benefits us. I am a white woman which means I experience the privilege that comes with being white in America. As I dive further into understanding intersectionality, I realize that perhaps the most oppressed group in the United States is women of color. This group faces both racism and sexism. Many nations in the world have systemic injustice related to both of these but today I will focus on the United States. The United States has a history of deeply rooted racism and sexism dating back to before the country was even a country.
Most situations can involve intersectionality so one of the best ways to gain understanding is to compare several different ones. It is often best to begin a search for understanding by asking questions so here are a few that guided my investigation. How does intersectionality impact different people and groups of people in the United States? How and where do sexism and racism overlap? How do they contradict each other? What impact does economic status have on how severely an individual is impacted by racism, sexism, or both? What are the differences in experiencing racism when comparing people of different occupations?
I want to begin by exploring a specific area that impacts me personally. I am a woman in the engineering field, a field that is still largely dominated by men. I remember my very first engineering class in high, school, I walked into the room and immediately noticed I was the only girl there. I had never been more aware of the fact that I was different than I did in that moment. But as I wrote in my diary of systemic injustice, it is also a field dominated by white people. So, to be both black and a woman in the engineering field is to be in the absolute minority.
According to a study conducted by the Society of Women Engineers in collaboration with the National Society of Black Engineers, 20% of engineering graduates are women and only 1 in 5 of those women are women of color. That is a very small percentage. But the question is why is the field so unbalanced? The study discovered one of the major areas was lack of minority female role models in the industry. It is challenging to dream of being someone or doing something when you have no one that looks like you that is already doing it to look up to. In addition, women of color face unequal pay, lack of professional development opportunities, and racial biases/stereotypes in the workplace. (Rincon).
This graph clearly depicts the severe inequality of STEM fields.
The concept of intersectionality is present here because these engineers are not solely identified by their career, gender, or race but rather all three. They are engineers but they are also women and they are also people of color. They may face discrimination due to their gender and race especially in the workplace, but it is also important to note that due to their careers it is most likely true that economically, they experience advantage compared to women of color in other lower paying fields. For example, they can afford to live wherever they may want, they can afford healthcare, and their children probably receive good education.
So, the next question this brings me to is how does the intersection of career identity further separate women of color?
In a separate entry to my diary of systemic injustice, I discussed the recent shooting of six Asian American women in Atlanta. Robert Long shot and killed 8 people, 6 of which were Asian-American women. Authorities have not spoken out about whether these crimes were racially motivated however, many other political leaders including both the president and vice president have made statements following the event condemning hate crimes against Asian-Americans. Long had been at a frequent customer at massage parlors and claimed to have a “sexual addiction”. Police say that the shooting was in his mind a way to take out the temptation. Many have spoken out about how these claims are a cop out for what is really a racially motivated hate crime. (Fausset).
Intersectionality of gender, race, and career is again at play here. These women were targets of violence because of both their race and their occupation. The over sexualization and fetishization of women, specifically Asian women, is all too common in the United States. Unlike the engineers discussed before, these women do not experience financial privilege because of their career. These six Asian American women faced discrimination aimed specifically at their occupation, race, and gender.
The last angle that I will explore regarding the intersectionality of women of color and career is in government and politics. We recently experienced a historical moment when Kamala Harris was sworn in as the first female vice president, the first black vice president and the first South Asian vice president. She is an incredible example of someone who despite facing opposition from both racism and sexism, has achieved great success. She now holds a position of power that would have been unimaginable for women a few decades ago. (Facts on Women…).
34.8% of the women in congress are women of color. This number is low and more work needs to be done but it is still impressive considering the history of exclusion in U.S. government. The importance of having women of color in positions of power, specifically as lawmakers, is that as a diverse country, we need diverse opinions making decisions. The more perspectives and backgrounds that are considered when making laws, the better. In addition to this, our children need role models and women like Kamala Harris and the many congresswomen of color are making history by showing girls around the country that they can be and do whatever they dream. In her own words, Harris sums up the importance of breaking barriers for the women who will come after her, “My mother would look at me and she’d say, ‘Kamala, you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you are not the last,’ That’s why breaking those barriers is worth it. As much as anything else, it is also to create that path for those who will come after us.” (Harris). Kamala Harris is a role model for women, for people of color, and for anyone who is doing something that has never been done before. Because of her, little girls everywhere can more easily dream of being politicians.
“… you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you are not the last.” – Kamala Harris
We must understand that our identities can not be separated, and they are more powerful in fact when they are together. To be vice president is impressive, but Kamala is more than her job title she is also a black, Asian, and female. These parts of her identity are what make her a person that the American citizens desired in power because she can relate to so many different groups, groups that are often silenced. Because of this, she is able to be successful at her job. The intersectionality of her identities is what makes her so unique.
Race, gender, and career are just a few of the many defining identities that we possess as human beings. We may relate to one person in one of these areas but be entirely different in another. These connections or lack of connections influence the way we view others and the world around us. Through exploring the concept of intersectionality further, I have become more aware of the need to look at all the parts of what makes a person who they are before I can analyze or understand their decisions or circumstances. A person may experience discrimination due to their race, but they may be able to lessen the impact of that discrimination due to their economic status. Or another person, may experience privilege because of their race but may not feel privileged because they were born into a poor family.
When we discuss intersectionality there are so many perspectives to explore that it would be impossible to look from all angles. However, the more we explore the more we find that human life is so complex it is unfair to try to categorize people into one box. To identify myself solely as a woman ignores so many other aspects of who I am. Exploring intersectionality allows us to understand people and circumstances more fully.
We can all benefit from humbling ourselves and understanding that different experiences and perspectives are not what divide us but rather what makes our connections so much more vibrant and beautiful.
Works Cited
“Facts on Women of Color in Office.” CAWP, 23 Mar. 2021, cawp.rutgers.edu/fact-sheets-women-color.
Fausset, Richard, et al. “Suspect in Atlanta Spa Attacks Is Charged With 8 Counts of Murder.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 18 Mar. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/03/17/us/atlanta-shooting-spa.html.
Rincon, Roberta M, and Nicole Yates. “Women of Color in the Engineering Workplace.” 2018. https://www.nsbe.org/getmedia/b01e0f12-9378-46b0-ad4d-a0f513b947a5/Women-of-Color-Research-2018.aspx