Example Of Intersectionality Analysis

Our book defines intersectionality as the “analysis claiming that systems of race, economic class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, nation, and age form mutually constructing features of social organization, which shape African American experiences and, in turn, are shaped by African Americans.” (Collins, 2004, p. 351) African Americans are always facing experiences that involve several of these attributes. Normally, our experiences revolve around race and economic class, but that’s not always the case. My gendered situation will discuss these particular intersections: race, age, and economic class.

As an employee at Staples, you come across many different customers. Some are nice, some are nasty, and some are racist. During the holidays when

The customer was an older Caucasian male. After greeting him the first thing he said was, “Do you know what you’re doing young lady?” I acted as if I didn’t hear him and continued weighing and measuring his packages, while still trying exemplify customer service. Once I finished I asked him for the information needed to process his labels and he started giving me the information in a very fast manner as if he was trying to challenge me. Because we had been processing so many packages that day, the computer had been moving slow throughout the day. After typing in some of the information the customer gave me, I informed the customer that the computer was moving slow at that moment and asked if he would give it a few minutes before continuing. He then has the audacity to say, “Well is it the computer that’s slow, or is it you?” At that moment I was starting to become very frustrated with the customer, but I had to continue doing my job. While I was continuing to make his labels, he whispered to another Caucasian customer, “For someone who needs this job, she sure isn’t acting like it.” After hearing that last comment, I called my supervisor over there, who is an older Caucasian woman and asked her if she could continue assisting this customer and I’ll go assist another customer, she agreed. I noticed once she went to assist him, his entire

My situation involved racism, ageism, and classism. These three intersections came together and shaped my experience and the intersectional lens helped me break down why I was the employee that the customer decided to give a hard time. As a young woman of color, I realize that I’m going to be discriminated against because of the color of my skin, my age, and class. Now after looking at my situation through the intersectional lens, I’ll be better prepared if another situation was to happen like