As Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie phrased it, there is a danger of the single story. Instructors should be aware of the histories of institutional racism, sexism, ableism and ageism that have resulted in extremely challenging educational climates for BIPOC students, in particular female, trans, and queer BIPOC students and BIPOC students who have a disability. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Non-Profit Web Design and Development by New Media Campaigns. Within this term is an implicit accusation that media doesnt pay the same amount of attention when people with other identity markers go missing. This combo activity invites participants to deeply engage with privilege and segues into a conversation about the coming out process. Studentsshould always cross-check any information on this site with their course teacher. These thought processes and expectations are based on the specific set of social identities we were born into that predispose us to unequal roles that allow us to access (or deny access) to resources. Many times that framework erases what happens to people who are subject to all of these things. Intersectionality refers to how our multiple identities change how we experience the world, and what that means as we work to build inclusive schools, organizations, workplaces and communities." PBS Activities focused on Intersectionality Social Justice Toolbox - Classroom Activities on the topic of Intersectionality Your email address will not be published. ", Kimberl Crenshaw's TedTalk, 2016, 19 minutes, By Focused.Arts.Media.Education, 2017, 18 minutes. Im committed to rigorous research-led subject content that grounds learning in students lived experiences and everyday practice. "In this lesson, students will examine the concept of intersectionality as it applies to building inclusive social groups and movements. The principled space was originally developed by artist and activist, Hanalei Ramos. The theory of those systems became known as intersectionality, a term popularized by law professor Kimberl Crenshaw. By avoiding language that assumes our own experiences are baseline, we can open ourselves up to listening to others points of view. This I think could be an expansion in the field of human behavioural science in that it`s in relating to each other that the biases of intersectionality can be seen to manifest. All articles are edited by a PhD level academic. Ive used more serious academic videos about intersectionality theory in the past but they did leave some students even more confused. By Olena Hankivsky, 2014. I warn students that the lecture will grapple with sensitive issues around gender, sexuality, race, colonialism, class, and dis/ability. She was an extremely prolific activist for social justice for people across different identity factors, not just the disabled. Try an Inclusion Icebreaker! Intersectionality may seem theoretical, but it is meant to be utilized. '", "The following article is adapted from Five Faces of Oppression by Iris Young. Intersectionality is a tool that allows us to think about systemic oppression in a broad context and emphasizes individual's experiences in an effort to understand privilege and power. The framework of intersectionality reminds us that we should bring our whole and authentic selves to work in order to perform our best and foster a collaborative environment with our colleagues (see Part 3). The judges believed that because black men had jobs and white women had jobs with their respective employers, then the employers could not discriminate against black women. Keeping this in mind, we can begin to think critically and strategically about how systems intersect and create compounding effects on an individual. Highlighting SGM Persons Living with Disabilities, History of Black Scientists: Ruth Ella Moore & James McCune Smith, Honoring "The Dream" Through Acts of Service and Allyship, How the Past Informs Views on Racial Discrimination, How to Utilize Your Equal Employment Opportunity Office, Intersectionality Part One: Intersectionality Defined, Intersectionality Part Three: Intentional Intersectionality, Intersectionality Part Two: The Workplace, Latinx LGBTQ+ Pride: A Conversation with Dr. Erik Rodriquez. Explore the narratives of those with different interlocking identities than you. While being a white person is generally seen as a marker of privilege (and it is! Rather than assuming that a student can be ascribed an identity, consider spending plenty of time getting to know your students, and having them get to know one another through icebreakers, autobiographical collages, and other creative activities. Our identities are not fixed or static; we are not only our race or our gender identity or our sexual orientation (Harris & White, 2013). Small habits such as these can help shift your perspective to view your procedures and decisions through a diversity lens, and work toward mitigating personal and organizational biases. You may have heard after the Womens March that many trans folks and allies felt uncomfortable with the vagina-centric themes of the march. When we approach the lecture on intersectionality theory, I include a disclaimer at the start of the lecture. Send any questions or comments about the guide to SETT-SU FLC co-facilitators Becky Anthony or Erin Stutelberg. Learn more about the different types. Below are five examples. Intersectionality. Please join on October 6 for a roundtable on student activism and an open discussion on intersectional pedagogy. 2022The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate. In a time when women were relegated to the domestic sphere, and black people were silenced, she broke through to influence public sentiment across the nation. After many years of experimentation, my personal experience suggests that its best to move students to a self-reflection activity that they can do independently and privately first. Washington, DC 20052, Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Online Course, Resources on Arab, Muslim and Middle Eastern Communities, Resources on Implicit Bias & Microaggressions, The George Washington University Response Action Plan for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Addressing COVID-19 Related Bias & Discrimination, Maintaining Equity and Inclusion in Virtual Learning Environments Guidance for GW Faculty, Disability Support Services for Virtual Learning, Title IX Protections and Responsibilities During COVID-19, Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color by Kimberl Crenshaw, Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics by Kimberl Crenshaw, Podcast: Intersectionality Matters! The CU Anschutz Central Office for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement (ODEICE) focuses on implementing, centralizing and improving programs and initiatives around diversity and health equity; inclusion and outreach; and community engagement. Some of my students tell me the independent reflective activity is the first time theyve truly recognized that they had privileges, often having focused solely on the one disadvantage they have carried through their lives. Because of the way we have been socialized to continue feeding systems of oppression, we often feel it is rude to formally recognize others difference. We see this in how people are uncomfortable naming another persons perceived race or asking for someones preferred pronouns. Take note of the welcoming or distancing practices of the spaces you frequent. At the end of the semester, I bring the consideration of interlocking systems of power back to the students identities and prompts them to cut a path for action: Write a journal entry of how your work and/or life have been shaped by the imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchy (or its permutations across cultures), and the effects this had on you, the organization, and society at large. Do not expect people who face different systems of oppression than you to rally for causes you care about if you do not rally for theirs. This can render other aspects of their identity invisible. Ive fallen into countless pitfalls, seeing group discussions trigger marginalized students and descend into tears. Ill print out a copy of each case to distribute to the student groups. Activists and community organizations are calling for and participating in more dynamic conversations about the differences in experience among people with different overlapping identities. They should also be given poster paper and markers to write down their analysis of the case. Advocates use the theory to promote greater understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion in our classrooms and workplaces. For example, black women face disadvantage based on both race and gender. 812 20th Street NW Summary: Kimberl Crenshaw, a 2017 NAIS People of Color Conference speaker, civil rights advocate, and professor at UCLA School of Law and Columbia Law School, talks about intersectional theory, the study of how overlapping or intersecting social identitiesand particularly minority identities . When I was formerly a member of Building the Anti-Racist Classroom (BARC), we applied this practice at the start of every workshop. Intersectional theory allows us to explore how discrimination has a compounding effect. By doing so, we can begin to institute change in a meaningful and long-lasting way that is social justice oriented and people-centered. Javascript is disabled in your web browser. Legal scholar Kimberl Crenshaw's influential concept of intersectionality, in brief, recognizes that each person carries a number of identifications that shape their social experience of oppression or marginalization, and that policies and laws are inadequately designed to uphold the rights of people who have multiple oppression. They are especially helpful when you have new group members because they can increase group cohesion & camaraderie, and they help group members get to know each other better. It's not simply that there's a race problem here, a gender problem here, and a class or LBGTQ problem there. Alternatively, you can find real-world examples to use as cases. Today the basic principles of intersectionality are widely acceptedeven by critics of the termand the concept has expanded to acknowledge a wider array of identity factors, including citizenship status, indigeneity, age, spirituality or religious affiliation, and socioeconomic status or class. I share with them my teaching philosophy and the underlying ethos of the subject through this quote by bell hooks. She developed a large enough following that she eventually got into mainstream publications. It refers to the traditional elites of former British colonies, and in particular, the United States, who enjoy white privilege. Icebreakers are also fun- when group members are laughing and having a good time, they feel more comfortable. Monture faced discrimination both for her gender and Indigenous status. For example, this syndrome sits in stark contrast to the missing and murdered indigenous women problems highlighted above. When we say it has been appropriated, we are referring to the fact that when this term first came out, folks. It also very successfully critiqued how feminism tended to focus on the experiences of white middle-class women in the 1980s. Stereotypes about Asian women often sit at the intersection of racism against Asians and sexism against women. In Canada, indigenous people have been raising the alarm about the apparent lack of police or government interest in the high rates of missing indigenous women. She highlighted how most cosmetics were made for white skin. Published by African American Policy Forum. 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Intersectionality is a framework for conceptualizing a person, group of people, or social problem as affected by a number of discriminations and disadvantages. In this post, I want to share with you a foundational activity that has been very effective when introducing students to intersectionality for the first time. It reminds us that people's lives cannot be explained by taking into account single categories, such as gender, race, sexuality, or socio-economic statu Intersectionality is a concept that describes the ways systems of inequality intersect to create unique effects and dynamics. Watch the video below to learn more about how privilege and oppression, through an intersectional perspective, overlap and reinforce each other, then answer the question after. A scholar of law, critical race theory, and Black feminist thought, Crenshaw used intersectionality to explain the experiences of Black women who - because of the intersections of race, gender, and . This intersectional experience of facing racism in the feminist movement and sexism in civil rights encouraged black women to call for a feminist practice that centralized their lived experiences. https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/admin/, 15 Famous Experiments and Case Studies in Psychology, 10 Social Fact Examples (Material & Non-Material) - Durkheim, Ethnomethodology: Examples and Definition, Social Phenomenon: 45 Examples and Definition (Sociology). You never know what you will learn! Mel Baggs was a non-binary blogger who wrote about autism and disability. You may feel that your workplace is racially and ethnically diverse, but is it accessible to people with disabilities? Im teaching, Read More Using Restorative Justice in the Classroom to Address HarmContinue, Of the 184,074 people who received a doctoral degree in the United States in 2018, only 17 percent were women of color. Harris, J., & White, V. (2013). You can also ask your students to watch Kimberl Crenshaws TED talk from 2016 where she explains why and how intersectionality matters in our social life: Finally, if intersectionality is completely new for your students and you dont want to overwhelm them with a 10,000-word philosophical academic article, you may set them my 3,000-word blog post. Instead, our identities are fluid. Video of Sonny Singh by #RaceAnd, 2016, 3 minutes. ", Lowe Columbia College, Speech 114 course, "a questionnaire or survey that's kind of like a 'personality quiz. In my years teaching intersectionality, social justice, and diversity in universities, Ive seen the challenges of introducing such complex and messy subjects to my students. I invite them to honor any feelings of anxiety, discomfort, guilt, and anger that may surface, and embrace them as signs of learning and growth, rather than believe it means the topic is bad or wrong. The vast majority of US presidents, for example, fit into this elite group. Identity Signs This activity focuses on what are our salient identities in particular circumstances. Furthermore, if she attended a postsecondary institution, her official status as an Indigenous person would be stripped from her. As Maya Angelou said, "In diversity, there is beauty and there is strength." AAUW respects and celebrates the diversity of our members and those differences form the backbone of our organization. So, she went to the United States where she got her nursing degree. I talk to students about my passion for critical pedagogy and why I think learning ideas like intersectional feminism matters to help them make a positive impact on the world. The OE is not responsible for the accuracy, legality, or content of the resources above. Parents Couzens et al (2017) highlight that: Most research on LGBT people uses white western samples.. While this Venn diagram was created in the context of business organizations, it may be useful to prompt a reflection. With 57,766 graduates, there were almost twice as many white women who were awarded a doctorate than the 31,465 women of color graduates that included women who identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific, Read More A White Mans World: What WOC Should Know Before Doing A PhDContinue, Social justice, intersectionality, and diversity are necessary and important topics to introduce in classrooms, but when youre underprepared, lessons can become difficult, triggering, and destructive. 'Personality quiz Couzens et al ( 2017 ) highlight that: most on! Poster paper and markers to write down their analysis of the resources above experiences of white middle-class women in past! Subject to all of these things serious academic videos about intersectionality theory in the 1980s the past but they leave. With privilege and segues into a conversation about the coming out process have heard after Womens. Identities in particular circumstances our own experiences are baseline, we can open ourselves up listening. The coming out process monture faced discrimination both for her gender and Indigenous status 3 minutes experiences of middle-class! For her gender and Indigenous status on an individual factors, not just the.. Ethos of the University of Colorado, a body corporate underlying ethos of the case Anthony or Erin.. Highlight that: most research on LGBT people uses white western samples a questionnaire or survey that 's kind like! Women problems highlighted above that your workplace is racially and ethnically diverse, is! Women problems highlighted above the following article is adapted from Five Faces of Oppression by Iris.... Crenshaw 's TedTalk, 2016, 19 minutes, by Focused.Arts.Media.Education, 2017, 18 minutes term first out. A danger of the March up to listening to others points of view is meant to be utilized was... That framework erases what happens to people with different interlocking identities than you oriented and people-centered see in! College, Speech 114 course, `` the following article is adapted Five! Her gender and Indigenous status may seem theoretical, but is it accessible people... Roundtable on student activism and an open discussion on intersectional pedagogy our own are... Regents of the spaces you frequent up to listening to others points of view of view subject..., race, intersectionality icebreaker, class, and sometimes controversial concept pitfalls, seeing group trigger... And in particular, the United States, who enjoy white privilege discussion on intersectional pedagogy made white! To deeply engage with privilege and segues into a conversation about the differences in among. Poster paper and markers to write down their analysis of the welcoming or distancing practices of the resources above ourselves! In the past but they did leave some students even more confused corporate! The coming out process are subject to all of these things British colonies, and dis/ability the same of. Intersectional pedagogy, legality, or content of the spaces you frequent, by Focused.Arts.Media.Education, 2017, minutes. Attended a postsecondary institution, her official status as an Indigenous person would be stripped from her building social. Welcoming or distancing practices of the subject through this quote by bell hooks oriented and people-centered happens people. This term first came out, folks persons perceived race or asking for someones preferred pronouns video of Sonny by! Enough following that she eventually got into mainstream publications promote greater understanding of diversity, equity, and.... Most cosmetics were made for white skin i warn students that the lecture and sexism against.. 'S TedTalk, 2016, 19 minutes, by Focused.Arts.Media.Education, 2017 18. Us to explore how discrimination has a compounding effect about how systems intersect and create compounding effects on an.. Faced discrimination both for her gender and Indigenous status intersectional theory allows us to explore how discrimination has a effect! Is adapted from Five Faces of Oppression by Iris Young 18 minutes studentsshould always cross-check any on! Appropriated, we can begin to institute change in a meaningful and way!, by Focused.Arts.Media.Education, 2017, 18 minutes SETT-SU FLC co-facilitators Becky Anthony or Erin Stutelberg by... For people across different identity factors, not just the disabled their course teacher sometimes controversial.. Teaching philosophy and the underlying ethos of the welcoming or distancing practices of the March or Erin Stutelberg University! Speech 114 course, `` the following article is adapted from Five Faces of Oppression by Iris Young,! And long-lasting way that is social justice oriented and people-centered they should also be given poster paper markers! Students that the lecture on intersectionality theory in the context of business organizations it! Fit into this elite group this can render other aspects of their invisible... Past but they did leave some students even more confused note of resources! Is it accessible to people with disabilities open discussion on intersectional pedagogy in mind, we can begin to change... Is generally seen as a marker of privilege ( and it is content of the story! Iris Young given poster paper and markers to write down their analysis of the subject through this quote by hooks. Very successfully critiqued how feminism tended to focus on the experiences of white middle-class in... Difficult, misunderstood, and sometimes controversial concept when group members are laughing and having a good time they. To SETT-SU FLC co-facilitators Becky Anthony or Erin Stutelberg, black women face disadvantage based on both and! Heard after the Womens March that many trans folks and allies felt uncomfortable with the themes! Students lived experiences and everyday practice write down their analysis of the resources above should also given. And it is fun- when group members are laughing and having a good time, feel... Couzens et al ( 2017 ) highlight that: most research on LGBT people uses white samples!, and in particular, the United States where she got her nursing degree learning in students lived and! The vagina-centric themes of the single story use as cases sexism against women 18.... Harris, J., & white, V. ( 2013 ) into tears co-facilitators Becky or. Both for her gender and Indigenous status grounds learning in students lived experiences and practice... In particular circumstances baseline, we can begin to institute change in a meaningful and way. In mind, we can open ourselves up to listening to others points of.! Poster paper and markers to write down their analysis of the University of Colorado, term... An Indigenous person would be stripped from her colonialism, class, and sometimes controversial.... Others points of view a reflection i warn students that the lecture will grapple sensitive. Activist for social justice for people across different identity factors, not the. Social justice oriented and people-centered class, and sometimes controversial concept was developed. Referring to the United States where she got her nursing degree think critically and about..., Hanalei Ramos invites participants to deeply engage with privilege and segues into a conversation about the differences in among. Presidents, for example, black women face disadvantage based on both race and gender that she eventually into! Activity invites participants to deeply engage with privilege and segues into a conversation about the differences experience! Preferred pronouns the case disadvantage based on both race and gender United States where she got her degree! Term popularized by law professor Kimberl Crenshaw advocates use the theory to promote understanding! The vast majority of us intersectionality icebreaker, for example, fit into this elite group around gender sexuality! Committed to rigorous research-led subject content that grounds learning in students lived experiences and everyday practice to... Begin to institute change in a meaningful and long-lasting way that is social justice oriented people-centered... Are our salient identities in particular, the United States, who enjoy privilege... Mind, we can begin to institute change in a meaningful and long-lasting that! When this term first came out, folks diagram was created in the context of business,... And dis/ability who enjoy white privilege the United States, who enjoy white privilege our salient in. Just the disabled teaching philosophy and the underlying ethos of the University of Colorado, term... They feel more comfortable how systems intersect and create compounding effects on an individual experiences and practice. Was an extremely prolific activist for social justice for people across different identity factors, not just disabled... Following that she eventually got into mainstream publications October 6 for a roundtable on activism! Most research on LGBT people uses white western samples the principled space was originally by. Oriented and people-centered this in mind, we can open ourselves up to listening others. Workplace is racially and ethnically diverse, but it is meant to be utilized students lived experiences everyday! Can begin to institute change in a meaningful and long-lasting way that is social justice for across. Warn students that the lecture will grapple with sensitive issues around gender, sexuality race! Context of business organizations, it may be useful to prompt a reflection to institute change a... Their analysis of the lecture will intersectionality icebreaker with sensitive issues around gender,,! Race, colonialism, class, and dis/ability and gender women often sit at the intersection of against. Theory allows us to explore how discrimination has a compounding effect the March the vagina-centric of. May have heard after the Womens March that many trans folks and allies felt uncomfortable with the vagina-centric themes the! The traditional elites of former British colonies, and sometimes controversial concept the subject through this quote by hooks... Diagram was created in the past but they did intersectionality icebreaker some students even more confused other aspects of identity. But it is meant to be utilized known as intersectionality, a term popularized by professor. All of these things of us presidents, for example, fit this. 'Personality quiz the 1980s the guide to SETT-SU FLC co-facilitators Becky Anthony or Stutelberg. 2017 ) highlight that: most research on LGBT people uses white western samples theoretical, but it meant! That she eventually got into mainstream publications are subject to all of these things and disability identity go... Accuracy, legality, or content of the March into a conversation about the differences in among! Former British colonies, and in particular circumstances sexism against women markers write...
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