History HW

Intersectionality ETST 003: African American Studies

Sarah Ibrahim, Mariah Gomez, Sonia Gomez, Julia Zavala, Michaela Banks, Aiza Hashmi, Thanvarath Pinyochon, Christopher Lam, Nathan

Ohashi, & Nicholas Munoz

Word Cloud Go to www.menti.com code 42 02 01 https://www.mentimeter.com/s/e3756bd117bea4509d63a9889dfeb837/0fe19345c2cc

In three words or less, type in what intersectionality means to you.

This is anonymous!!!

Intersectionality

What is it?

Simply put it is INCLUSIVITY across race, gender, and sexuality.

(Gutierrez, 2018)5

The lack of intersectionality was always a problem, but there was no word for it until Prof. Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality”.

Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw Black feminist and law professor at UCLA

Coined the term “intersectionality” in 1989.

Twitter: @Sandylocks 3

Identity Politics: formation of exclusive alliances based on religion, race, social background, etc...

What is the PROBLEM???

Intersectionality and Identity

“The problem with identity politics is not that it fails to transcend difference, as some critics charge, but rather the opposite- that it frequently conflates or ignores intra group differences.” (Prof. Crenshaw, 1989)4

Women’s Suffrage Pros

Women received property rights.

19th amendment (women’s right to vote).

Cons

Was not inclusive of women of color.

Mainly white-cisgender women benefited.

Women could legally vote in 1920, but segregation did not end until 1954!!! (ACLU, 2018)1

Feminism, but for who? Problematic if it only includes cisgender-heterosexual white women.

Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists (TERFs)

Problematic feminists who do not include transgender people in their movement.

An example of lack of intersectionality.

Children would flock around Marsha because she brought them treats: beads and candies and flowers.2

(YouTube, 2018)7

LGBTQ+ rights activist.

Prominent figure in the Stonewall uprising of 1969.

Marsha P. Johnson

Marsha P. Johnson reciting her poem, “Soul!” Soul -- by Marsha P Johnson You can count your karma

if Nirvana is your goal

you can shake and you can rattle

you can rock and roll

you can be a Clark Kent

or a Lois

or an Alice down a hole,

you can be a vampire on a mountain

with a heart of stone black coal.

you can be a leather angel

on a sleek black Harley bike

or a redhead screaming faggot

or a dazzling dyke

you can lock yourself in a closet

in a fine mink stole

but it really doesn’t matter

if you ain’t got soul. (YouTube, 2007)8

Police reported suicide.

Johnsons friends insist she was murdered.

Johnson suffered a great deal due to lack of intersectionality in the black and LGBTQ+ communities.

The Death of Marsha P. Johnson (1992)

In her lifetime, Johnson: ● Was homeless ● Resorted to sex-work for survival ● Was harassed

LGBTQ+ Community Is not fully intersectional even today:

● Racism within the community ● Body shaming ● Biphobia ● Transphobia

Marsha P. Johnson

Ironic since much of LGBTQ+ rights today can be attributed to the activism of a black, trans woman, Marsha P. Johnson.

According to research, Black, Latina, and Native American women make far less than their white counterparts.

Intersectionality Today

(Kim, 2018)6

Awareness and Action Implementing intersectionality makes some people uncomfortable, but it needs to be an ongoing conversation and an ongoing practice of inclusion.

● Call injustices out ● Propagate education ● Lead by example ● Volunteer ● Take action ● BE AN ALLY

What can YOU do?

References 1) ACLU of Maine, 27 Aug. 2018, “Celebrate Women's Suffrage, but Don't Whitewash the Movement's Racism.” www.aclumaine.org/en/news/celebrate-womens-suffrage-dont-whitewash-movements-racism.

2) Bishop, I. “You Can't Have Pride Without Marsha P. Johnson.” Medium, Th-Ink Queerly, 3 June 2018, medium.com/th-ink/pride-you-cant-have-pride-without-marsha-p-johnson-24db5d41b320.

3) Crenshaw, K.W. “Kimberle Crenshaw (@Sandylocks).” Twitter, twitter.com/sandylocks.

4) Crenshaw, K.W. “Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color.” Racial Equity Tools (1989), www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/mapping-margins.pdf.

5) Gutierrez, L. “What Intersectionality Does to Activism.” LAOMS, 12 Nov. 2018, laoms.org/what-intersectionality-does-to-activism/.

6) Kim, J. “Intersectionality 101: Why ‘We're Focusing on Women’ Doesn't Work for Diversity & Inclusion.” Medium, Awaken Blog, 10 Apr. 2018, medium.com/awaken-blog/intersectionality-101-why-were-focusing-on-women-doesn-t-work-for-diversity-inclusion-8f591d196789.

7) Lifetime. “Herstory: Laverne Cox on Marsha P. Johnson | Lifetime.” YouTube, 25 Mar. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq8ZA7hqZPg.

8) Wicker, R. “MARSHA P. JOHNSON ‘You Gotta Have Soul !".” YouTube, 22 Jan. 2007, www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_XQU2_fF5E&t=1s.

Questions?