Kimberlé Crenshaw: Intersectionality and Gender Inequality
Image: https://www.aclu.org/podcast/kimberle-crenshaw-on-anti-racism-education-bans
Black men do not have to claim two causes of action to be understood. White women do not have to claim two causes of action to be understood […] White women represent “all women” and black men represent “all black people”.
As I hear Crenshaw say these words in her speech on intersectionality and gender inequality, she is reveals that black women have two causes of action rather than women and black men. She is emphasizing how black women on a day to day have to face both racism and sexism, and that is not being emphasized enough. Furthermore, for one of the reasons that is, is due to the political structures are formed. With that, she states:
Not primarily about identity but is about how structures make certain identities the consequence of the vehicle for vulnerability.
Therefore emphasizing how political structures are formed in such a way that they do not provide opportunities for those representing more than one cause, for instance here, black women. Rather they are perpetuating exclusion based on race and sex. Like I have mentioned before, I am a white woman mixed of hispanic heritage, but I have not faced this type of exclusion but as a human being it is important that I reflect on this while knowing my positionality. Crenshaw is bringing to light facts that need to be spoken about. In an era where we are progressing, we are now regressing due to how American politics are being played now. With the United States now removing DEI and while doing so, the curtain is being pulled open intentionally revealing how racism is still a forefront of “American culture”. Beyond racism at will, including sexism. Now as I think about it, pre-Trump second term I think that structures and the system has failed black communities, and there is evidence of that is happening. However today, I see this being heightened with obvious tactics and that is directly coming from the leader of our country and the world. Like how Crenshaw states:
We need to ask ourselves, WHAT IS HAPPENING?
And that we do, now more than ever.