Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw Defines Intersectionality

Summary

The term 'intersectionality' was coined to address the overlapping nature of social injustices like racism and sexism, which create multiple layers of discrimination. Originating from the case of Emma DeGraaf, an African-American woman denied employment due to her race and gender, intersectionality highlights the unique challenges faced by marginalized groups. The concept emphasizes the need to recognize and address the complex interplay of various forms of discrimination to understand and solve social justice issues.

Takeaways

• 📚 Intersectionality was coined to address the overlapping nature of social injustices like racism and sexism.
• 👩‍💼 The term originated from the experience of Emma de Graaff, an African-American woman who faced job discrimination.
• 🚫 Emma was denied employment at a car manufacturing plant, suspecting it was due to her race and gender.
• 👩‍⚖️ The court dismissed Emma's case, failing to recognize the intersection of race and gender discrimination.
• 🔍 The judge's decision was based on the fact that the employer hired both African Americans and women, but not black women for the desired positions.
• 🌐 Intersectionality highlights the unique challenges faced by individuals belonging to multiple marginalized groups.
• 🚸 The court's refusal to consider Emma's case underscored the lack of legal framework to address intersectional discrimination.
• 💡 The concept of intersectionality was developed as a way to frame and address these complex layers of discrimination.
• 🌉 The analogy of an intersection was used to illustrate how different forms of discrimination can converge and exacerbate each other.
• 🌟 Intersectionality has since been applied to understand various forms of social injustice beyond race and gender, including heterosexism, transphobia, xenophobia, and ableism.

Q & A

What is the term used to describe the overlapping nature of social justice problems like racism and sexism?

The term used is 'intersectionality'.

Who is Emma de Graaff and why is she significant to the concept of intersectionality?

Emma de Graaff is an African-American woman whose experience with race and gender discrimination at a car manufacturing plant gave rise to the concept of intersectionality.

What was the judge's reasoning for dismissing Emma de Graaff's claim of discrimination?

The judge dismissed Emma's claim because the employer hired African Americans and women, but failed to acknowledge that the jobs were segregated by race and gender.

Why was Emma de Graaff unable to combine race and gender discrimination claims in her case?

The court believed that allowing her to combine the claims would give her preferential treatment, providing an unfair advantage over African-American men and white women.

What was the court's response to Emma de Graaff's case, and why was it considered unjust?

The court refused to protect African-American women, tossing their case out of court, which was considered unjust because it ignored the unique discrimination they faced.

What was the 'framing problem' that the court faced in Emma de Graaff's case?

The framing problem was that the court's perspective on gender or race discrimination was partial and distorting, failing to see the combined effects of both.

How did the concept of an intersection help in understanding Emma de Graaff's dilemma?

The analogy of an intersection helped visualize how Emma, being both black and female, experienced the simultaneous impacts of the company's gender and race policies.

What is the significance of naming a problem like the one Emma de Graaff faced?

Naming a problem allows it to be recognized and addressed; without a name, the problem remains invisible and unsolvable.

What are some of the other social dynamics that can create unique challenges due to intersectionality?

Other social dynamics include heterosexism, transphobia, xenophobia, and ableism, which can intersect with race and gender to create unique challenges.

How does the concept of intersectionality relate to the broader experiences of marginalized people worldwide?

Intersectionality relates to the experiences of marginalized people by acknowledging that their challenges and dilemmas often stem from multiple intersecting social dynamics.