August is Intersectionality Awareness Month, dedicated to exploring and understanding intersectionality, a term coined in the 1980s by UCLA and Columbia law professor of Kimberlé Crenshaw that seeks to define the overlapping oppressions that people who are part of multiple marginalized groups experience.
“Intersectionality draws attention to invisibilities that exist in feminism, in anti-racism, in class politics,” she wrote. “It takes a lot of work to consistently challenge ourselves to be attentive to aspects of power that we don’t ourselves experience.”
NOW’s commitment to intersectional feminism is vital to the multi-issue, multi-strategy approach that takes a holistic approach to women’s rights. Our grassroots actions and advocacy work is rooted in addressing intersectional issues of race and reproductive rights, voting rights, economic justice, the housing crisis, ending violence against women, racial justice, LGBTQIA+ rights and constitutional equality.
They are all connected in today’s intersectional feminist agenda.
NOW members recognize Intersectionality Awareness Month as a time to note how the different parts of who we are, like race, gender, age, ability, and more, come together to shape our experiences. Understanding intersectionality helps us to get out of our silos and see the full picture of what people go through and how we can better support each other.
Here are some more resources about intersectionality and, and here’s Kimberlé Crenshaw’s TED Talk about intersectionality, its history, and impact.
Intersectionality Awareness Month is a good time to remind ourselves that, as Kimberlé Crenshaw says:” If you see inequality as a ‘them’ problem or an ‘unfortunate other’ problem – that is the problem.”
Intersectional feminism calls on us to see those who are most affected by crises and inequality. In today’s climate of intersecting forms of oppression and discrimination, this focus is needed more than ever.
