What Is Intersectionality? | Queer 101 | The Advocate
Summary
TLDRThe video discusses intersectionality, a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, explaining how individuals can belong to multiple marginalized groups. It highlights the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and other identities, using examples like being gay and black, or a Chinese lesbian. The script critiques media representation, emphasizing the need for more inclusive stories beyond privileged white narratives. It stresses the importance of understanding intersectionality to promote empathy and equality. Practical steps include learning about diverse communities, asking respectful questions, and sharing knowledge to help broaden awareness.
Takeaways
- 😀 Intersectionality is the concept of belonging to multiple marginalized groups simultaneously.
- 🧑🏫 The term 'intersectionality' was coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw to explain the struggles of marginalized women, particularly immigrant women of color.
- 🌍 Intersectionality includes a range of identities such as race, gender, sexuality, ability, class, and body size.
- 📚 The feminist and anti-racist movements in the 1980s did not fully address the needs of women of color, highlighting the importance of intersectionality.
- 🏳️🌈 Some LGBT media often focuses on white, upper-class gay men, missing other intersectional identities.
- 🎬 Films like 'Moonlight' provide a more intersectional representation, featuring a lead character who is not only gay but also black, poor, and a survivor of violence.
- 🤷♀️ Intersectional feminism aims to include all women, not just those with fewer oppressions, and encourages solidarity against different forms of oppression.
- 💡 Understanding intersectionality makes people more empathetic and promotes equality by addressing different layers of marginalization.
- 👂 To learn about intersectionality, people should educate themselves, ask questions respectfully, and avoid making assumptions.
- 📢 Sharing information and learning about intersectionality helps spread awareness and encourages inclusivity.
Q & A
What is intersectionality?
-Intersectionality refers to how various aspects of a person's social and political identities combine to create different modes of discrimination or privilege. It was coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw to illustrate how marginalized communities experience overlapping oppression.
How does the speaker describe their own intersectionality?
-The speaker identifies as Asian, a woman, a lesbian, and an immigrant. They use the word 'intersectional' to describe themselves because they belong to multiple marginalized groups.
Why was the term 'intersectionality' coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw?
-Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term to explain the specific issues faced by immigrant women of color, which neither the feminist nor anti-racist movements fully addressed in the 1980s.
Can straight men be intersectional?
-Yes, straight men can be intersectional, but the term was specifically created to illustrate the unique challenges of marginalized communities.
What example does the speaker give of an intersectional character in media?
-The speaker gives the example of Chiron from the movie *Moonlight*, who is not only gay but also Black, poor, a survivor of domestic violence, and affected by the prison system.
Why is the movie *Moonlight* considered more intersectional than other LGBTQ+ media?
-Unlike other LGBTQ+ media that mostly features white, cisgender, upper-class gay men, *Moonlight* depicts a character who experiences multiple layers of oppression, including race, class, and sexual orientation.
How does intersectional feminism differ from general feminism?
-Intersectional feminism strives to include all women, not just the least oppressed, by acknowledging that different women experience different types of oppression based on factors like race, class, and sexuality.
What advice does the speaker give for learning about different communities?
-The speaker suggests actively learning about different communities by researching online and asking respectful, non-assumptive questions while being polite and open to listening.
How can understanding intersectionality make us more empathetic?
-By understanding intersectionality, we become more aware of how different forms of oppression intersect, making us more empathetic toward the diverse experiences of others and promoting equality.
What can people do to promote intersectionality?
-People can learn about different communities, ask respectful questions without assumptions, and share resources like this video to raise awareness about intersectionality.
Outlines
🤔 Self-Identity and Intersectionality
The speaker reflects on a high school experience where they were asked to describe themselves in one word. However, their identity is multifaceted, as they are Asian, a woman, a lesbian, and an immigrant, making it difficult to condense into a single word. The speaker concludes that 'intersectional' is the most fitting descriptor, introducing the concept of intersectionality.
🌐 What is Intersectionality?
Intersectionality is defined as belonging to multiple marginalized groups. The speaker gives examples such as being both gay and Black, or Chinese and lesbian, emphasizing the complexity of these identities. The term was coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw to highlight the challenges faced by women of color, as neither feminist nor anti-racist movements fully addressed their needs.
🎬 Media Representation and Intersectionality
The speaker critiques mainstream LGBTQ+ media representation, pointing out that it often focuses on white, upper-class gay men (e.g., 'Call Me by Your Name,' 'Brokeback Mountain'). In contrast, the film 'Moonlight' offers a more intersectional portrayal, with its lead character Chiron being Black, gay, and affected by poverty, violence, and systemic issues. The speaker encourages more diverse, intersectional stories.
💭 Feminism and Intersectionality
Feminism is described as a movement for gender equality, but the speaker stresses the need for intersectional feminism that includes all women, not just the least oppressed. By acknowledging the different kinds of women and their struggles, feminism becomes a more inclusive and effective movement in combating oppression from multiple angles.
📚 Learning and Empathy
The speaker advocates for actively learning about different communities, reminding the audience to be respectful and open-minded. While it's okay to ask questions, it's important to avoid assumptions and listen. Even if one doesn't fully understand someone else's experience, respect is crucial. The speaker encourages viewers to spread awareness about intersectionality and foster empathy.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Intersectionality
💡Marginalized Groups
💡Kimberlé Crenshaw
💡Feminism
💡LGBTQ+ Representation
💡Privilege
💡Moonlight
💡Feminist and Anti-Racist Movements
💡Empathy
💡Stereotypes
Highlights
The speaker identifies as intersectional, highlighting multiple identities such as being Asian, a woman, a lesbian, and an immigrant.
Intersectionality, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, refers to individuals who belong to several marginalized groups.
Examples of intersectionality include being gay and Black, being a woman and disabled, or being Chinese and lesbian.
Crenshaw's concept of intersectionality emerged from observing how immigrant women of color faced unique challenges that neither the feminist nor anti-racist movements fully addressed.
LGBT activism often fails to address the problems faced by intersectional LGBT individuals.
Media representation of LGBT characters, like in 'Call Me by Your Name' or 'Modern Family,' primarily features white, cis, upper-class gay men, lacking intersectional representation.
'Moonlight' is highlighted as a more intersectional story, with the lead character being not only gay but also Black, poor, and a survivor of domestic violence and the prison system.
Intersectionality influences how different aspects of a person’s identity inform each other, creating unique experiences of oppression or privilege.
There is a need for more intersectional stories in media, similar to 'Mulan' and 'Moonlight,' that reflect a variety of identities.
Feminism, especially intersectional feminism, strives to include all women, not just those least oppressed, by fighting various forms of oppression simultaneously.
Intersectionality teaches empathy and the importance of addressing oppression from all sides, even if it doesn't directly target an individual.
To foster understanding, it's essential to actively learn about different communities, do research, and ask questions without assumptions.
Respect for others is crucial, even if you don't fully understand their experiences.
Sharing information about intersectionality is key to promoting broader understanding and equality.
The transcript ends by encouraging viewers to share the message about intersectionality and continue learning.
Transcripts
when i was in high school my social
studies teacher asked us to complete the
sentence
i am the questions you could only use
one word to describe yourself but i have
a lot of words
i'm asian i'm a woman i'm a lesbian i'm
an immigrant
even my name is is not a single word
so in one word i am intersectional
what is intersectionality an
intersectional person is someone who's
part of a number of marginalized groups
for example some intersections are being
gay and black
being women and disabled and being
chinese and lesbian
and pretty cute too we are the kind of
people who check up a lot of boxes
when it comes to gender sexuality race
ability class body size so
are why street men intersectional with
all their privilege
yes they can be but the term
intersectionality
was coined by kimberly crenshaw to
specifically illustrate
the marginalized communities she used it
to explain the problems that immigrant
women of color were facing
in the 80s she found that neither the
feminist or anti-racist movement
would fully helping them to solve the
problems what about
lgbt activism it also struggles to
address the problems of intersectional
lgbt people
call me by your name brokeback mountain
modern family
row and grace feature amazing career
characters
but they're only white six upper-class
gay men
in contrast moonlight is much more
intersectional
its lead character xiron is not only gay
but also black
poor a survivor of domestic violence and
the prison pipeline
these many aspects of chiron inform each
other
so should i feel guilty for watching
comedy burning time tanks
no but just remember mulan is more
intersectional and we need more stories
like that
but even in moonlight where are the
queer women
enter feminism feminism strive for a
society where women have equal rights to
men
equal rights intersection of feminism
works to include
all women not just the least oppressed
ones because there are so many kinds of
women
we need to fight oppression from all
sides and stand together
even if the oppression doesn't directly
target you nobody is perfect
but understanding intersectionality can
make us more empathetic
and more equal so what can we do first
actively learn about different
communities but what if i offend
somebody with my questions
well google doesn't judge you can do
your research at home
hey google why do asians all have such
small eyes
second you can ask people questions but
don't make assumptions
be polite and listen but what if i
really can't understand why honors this
chinese lesbian immigrant is doing this
video
well you should respect her anyway
finally
in order to let more people learn about
intersectionality
share this video and tell us what you
think
yeah that's a wrap
Voir Plus de Vidéos Connexes
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)