Please educate me: What does “intersectional” mean please?

[Thanksforthatamazingpost]

I first heard the word here
I have seen an expression “if it isn’t intersectional it isn't feminism”

Thanks mumsnet!

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, ability, and ethnicity.

Kimberle Crenshaw wrote about the intersections of oppression that Black women face in society. What prompted her to do so was that sex discrimination was dismissed because Black men were also fired and race discrimination was dismissed because white women were also fired.
I think you see the catch 22.
MRAs and transgender advocates have co-opted her concept of the intersectionality of oppression suffered by black women to insist that Feminism must include men the same way the co-opted Simone de Beauvoir's statement about girls going through the process of "becoming" women.

When people say "if it isn't intersectional it isn't feminism" they usually mean that someone is failing to recognise the particular difficulties of a subset of women (e.g. from a particular minority ethnic background, or women with disabilities). It's a phrase with a similar intent to "check your privilege".

Able-bodied white middle-class feminism is an easy trap to fall into.

femmagazine.com/15468/
She discusses the abuse of her work here.

It stemmed from a legal case in the states where some black women wanted to sue a car manufacturer for not employing them. They were unable to because the manufacturer did employ women (white, in the office) and black people (men, in the workshop).
The fact they were black women put them in a unique position as their sex and race combined caused their oppression.

Unfortunately now it's been coopted to talk about privilege points and how trans women are the most oppressed ever. Which is very annoying.

There's been a few threads about it, will see if I can link some

Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term but she only applied it to women as a class, i.e. there is an interlocking system of oppression so the lived experience of a BAME woman is different to that of a white woman.
However now it seems to be a catchall term for everyone who has the oppressed feelz to be included in feminism.

X post bewilderness

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/2875481-Intersectional-feminism

And I haven't seen fauchelevant around for ages, I miss her

Perhaps fauche changed name?

Very helpful thank you.

But bewilderness, that article seemed to promote views diametrically opposed to yours:

“For example, the stricter control of reproduction following the reinstitution of the Global Gag Rule, which defunds abortion-providing organizations, will have the most harmful effects for black women in poor countries, particularly in the Caribbean and Sub-Saharan Africa. Immigration raids target Mexican and Latinx peoples while undocumented white immigrants go largely unscathed. Transgender women are most likely to suffer from hate crimes and sexual violence, and transgender people of color are most likely to experience police violence. At the Women’s March this past January, the rabid biological essentialism of many participants and emphasis on genitals alienated many transwomen and left them feeling unsafe.

Right now, it is absolutely necessary for cisgender feminists to fight for transwomen before ourselves. This is especially pertinent since radical feminists recently allied with the Christian right to combat Obama’s bathroom mandate that allows transgendered individuals bathroom access in federal facilities. We must place the struggles of black women at the forefront of our feminism. Financially secure women must fight for poor women first. We must all align against the police and federal agents, we must all organize and act in communion against capitalism. Our feminism has to be intersectional or it isn’t true equality, which is what feminism is all about.”

Are you saying that article is an example of the abuse?

No.

No what, upstart?

It's a ridiculous disingenuous article that misuses the term intersectional (and feminism for that matter). Feminism was/is about women's liberation. No woman is going to be liberated by putting a man's interest in front of their own. It's also pretty racist because it piggy backs on intersectionalism which was largely about race (ie that black women's experiences are often different from white women's experiences because black women have an additional prejudice to overcome) with trans ideology. This allows trans ideologs to both claim oppression and to claim that they are a sub set of women (just like black women). Plus it tries to force women to drop their own issues and fights (which are now reframed as transphobic) in favour of fighting for trans ideology even when the ideology goes against women's interests.

I think I'd be inclined to respond with something like 'if it doesn't centre females it's not feminism at all'. But then some trans activists are trying to claim that they are not just 'women' but also 'female' so that probably won't work.

Thanks Nootka.

I think there is a typo in bewilderness’ post.

Sorry, I had too many tabs open and bollixed it up.
That was an appropriation of her work and here is the lady herself.

Right now, it is absolutely necessary for cisgender feminists to fight for transwomen before ourselves.

No.

Not cisgender. Not fighting for the rights of men over women. Definitely not co-opting intersectionality to centre men. Definitely not assisting men to get lesbians to sleep with them.

Nope. No way.

Thanks.will watch video.

Thanks,

Crenshaw describes “all lives matter” as plain wrong. Has she voiced concerns about self IDthough?

Even if she doesn’t, I appreciate the points being made.