Kimberlé Crenshaw Discusses 'Intersectional Feminism'

Summary

In this insightful conversation, Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw, a renowned scholar in civil rights and black feminist legal theory, introduces intersectionality as a framework to understand the compound effects of race and gender discrimination. She discusses her personal journey influenced by her family's civil rights activism and the importance of recognizing the unique challenges faced by black women in society. Crenshaw also addresses the 'Say Her Name' campaign, highlighting the overlooked experiences of black women subjected to systemic violence and the need to broaden the narrative of police brutality beyond the focus on black men.

Takeaways

• 📚 Kimberlé Crenshaw is a renowned professor of law at UCLA and Columbia University, specializing in civil rights, black feminist legal theory, and race, racism, and the law.
• 🌟 She is the director of the Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy at Columbia University, which she co-founded in 2011, and also co-founded the African American Policy Forum.
• 💡 Intersectionality is a concept that explains how individuals can experience discrimination based on multiple identities, such as race and gender, which intersect and create unique experiences of oppression.
• 👩‍🏫 Crenshaw's personal journey to women's and gender studies was influenced by her intersectional identities as a Jewish woman raised in a Reform Jewish family with a female rabbi.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Her upbringing was deeply rooted in the civil rights movement, with discussions of social justice being a daily staple at home, shaping her understanding of racial and gender issues.
• 🚨 The 'Say Her Name' campaign was initiated to highlight the often-overlooked cases of black women who have been victims of systemic violence and to challenge the framing of police violence as predominantly affecting black men.
• 🔍 Crenshaw discusses the public's limited perception of police violence, which is often framed as an issue of competing masculinities and hyper-masculine individuals, rather than a broader issue of state violence affecting all races and genders.
• 🤔 The critique of 'Black Lives Matter' with the counter-argument 'all lives matter' is addressed, with Crenshaw explaining that 'Black Lives Matter' is an aspirational statement to highlight the disproportionate impact of police violence on black individuals.
• 📉 The notion of colorblindness is critiqued, as it fails to acknowledge the specific risks and circumstances faced by black individuals, which are not equally distributed across all racial groups.
• 🛑 The script emphasizes the importance of recognizing and addressing the different rates and types of encounters with the police, which are not experienced equally by all racial and gender groups.
• 🌐 Kimberlé Crenshaw's work and theories aim to broaden the understanding of discrimination and state violence, advocating for a more inclusive and intersectional approach to social justice.

Q & A

Who is Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw?

Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw is a professor of law at UCLA and Columbia University, an expert in civil rights, black feminist legal theory, and race, racism and the law. She is also the director of the Center of Intersectionality and Social Policy at Columbia University, which she co-founded in 2011, and the co-founder of the African American Policy Forum. Additionally, she is the creator of intersectionality theory.

What is intersectionality according to Professor Crenshaw?

Intersectionality is the idea that people experience life, including discrimination and benefits, based on a combination of different identities they have. The term emerged from a case where black women were being discriminated against not just as black people or as women, but specifically as black women. It highlights how race and gender discrimination intersect and impact individuals in unique ways.

What personal experiences influenced Professor Crenshaw's journey to women's and gender studies?

Professor Crenshaw was raised by parents deeply involved in the civil rights movement, discussing social justice regularly at home. Her mother, committed to racial justice, specifically educated her on how racism and sexism intersect, especially for black women. This upbringing, combined with her college studies in Africana Studies, government, and a minor in Women's Studies, shaped her interest in women's and gender studies.

Why do black women who suffer from systemic violence often receive less national attention than black men, according to Professor Crenshaw?

Professor Crenshaw suggests that societal focus tends to frame police violence as an issue primarily affecting black men, influenced by stereotypes of hyper-masculinity. This framing overlooks the unique experiences and victimization of black women. Efforts like 'Say Her Name' aim to raise awareness of black women who have been killed by the police and to broaden the understanding of state violence against black people.

What is the purpose of the 'Say Her Name' campaign?

The 'Say Her Name' campaign was created to draw attention to the black women who have been killed by the police and whose names are often unknown to the public. It seeks to make visible the violence against black women and ensure their stories are acknowledged and addressed.

How did people react to the 'Say Her Name' banner during marches?

Reactions varied. Some people gave thumbs up, showing support, while others were confused as the idea of women being killed by the police did not register with them. Some people even believed the focus should remain on black men. The campaign highlighted the need to expand the narrative around police violence to include black women.

What critique does Professor Crenshaw address regarding the 'Black Lives Matter' movement?

Professor Crenshaw addresses the critique that 'all lives should matter,' which she sees as a form of colorblindness that ignores the specific risks and systemic violence faced by black people. She argues that the 'Black Lives Matter' movement is necessary to highlight and politicize the disparities in how black lives are valued and treated, particularly by the police.

What does Professor Crenshaw mean by saying that 'Black Lives Matter' is aspirational?

Professor Crenshaw means that 'Black Lives Matter' expresses a goal or aspiration for black lives to be valued and protected as much as other lives. The movement seeks to address and rectify the current disparities in how black lives are treated, particularly in encounters with law enforcement.

How does Professor Crenshaw's family background influence her work?

Her parents' involvement in the civil rights movement and their discussions about social justice at home deeply influenced Professor Crenshaw's perspective. Her mother's teachings on the specific challenges faced by black women due to racism and sexism equipped her with the tools to recognize and address these issues, guiding her academic and activist work.

What are some examples of black women who have been victims of police violence mentioned by Professor Crenshaw?

Examples include Tanisha Anderson, Michelle Cusseaux, and other black women whose names and stories are often overlooked in discussions about police violence. The 'Say Her Name' campaign works to bring these stories to the forefront.