Intersectional theory is a term that was coined by Kimberle Crenshaw in 1989. The theory addresses how different forms of oppression or discrimination converge, this includes: sexism, racism, classism and other issues (Crenshaw 1989). In her article Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex, Crenshaw (1989:p139) highlighted that issues such as racism and sexism were often treated as “mutually exclusive categories”. This meant that various forms of discrimination were often seen as separate components and other movements such as feminism, failed to acknowledge that they can occur simultaneously. Crenshaw (1989) used the DeGraffenreid v General Motors (1977) case, as an example of how intersectionality was not acknowledged. Five black …show more content…
This can be said about first and second wave feminism. The focus of first wave feminism was quite narrow because it was mainly concerned with the legal side of feminism such as women’s suffrage and political rights. Political rights were an issue that mainly middle-class women were concerned with, so it can be said that first wave feminism represented them and their plights (Walters 2005). It did not focus on wider problems that other women would have faced at the time. For example, women in the lower classes would have experienced some problems that middle-class women could not relate …show more content…
It was a response to the failures of the first two waves and it was more inclusive because it acknowledged women of colour, members of the lesbian gay bisexual transgender (LGBT) community and social class. The third wave did not only focus on mainstream issues but also on the intersecting forms of discrimination that minorities faced (reference). This is where the first two waves of feminism failed because they did not represent all women, their focus was too narrow and failed to recognise how oppression intersected. Therefore, feminism as a whole, does not completely help us to understand the plights of all women in society; intersectional theory is needed to properly analyse how different forms of oppression
The theory of intersectionality is one put forth by the feminist theorist known as Kimberlé Crenshaw. Crenshaw developed this theory as a critique to what she called a single-axis framework. A single-axis framework is one that considers an issue, be it feminist or otherwise, as a product of a single aspect. To be clearer, and to provide an example, a single-axis framework would consider the experiences of a woman of colour as either those experienced by an individual of colour, or those experienced by a woman. Crenshaw introduced the concept of intersectionality to explain that some experiences are unique to those who fall under a combination of these categories. In her article, “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex”, Crenshaw describes intersectionality as “the combined effects of practices which discriminate on the basis of race and on the basis of sex” (385).
In the United States there have been three waves of women’s rights movements. The first movement was called the women’s right movement. This movement was mainly focused on white women and their right to vote as well as hold office. (Wood, p.62) The second movement was the women’s liberation movement, also known as radical feminism. This movement mainly impacted college students because college campuses were a great place for radical feminism to emerge. The radical feminists protested the Vietnam War and fought for civil rights. The women in this movement risked their lives and physical abuse just like the males did. (Wood, p.64) The third wave of feminism in the United States was known as third- wave feminism. In this movement woman with different ethnicities, abilities, disabilities, classes, appearances, sexual orientation and gender identities came together to fight for their rights as women. (Wood, p.74)
Here, as women were gaining more progressive rights, they were actually degrading themselves in trying to bring awareness to rape. Instead of telling women to defend themselves in the moment, feminists were telling women to go to court after the actions. Young spoke against this, pleading that women be strong individuals and refuse to submit to men and social norms. The Third Wave of feminism pushed for these rights, and degraded women in the process. Feminists oppressed themselves, as they had many of the rights they had desired before. Feminists got the rights they had been seeking, and then sought to protect themselves from rape, and caused a kind of hysteria. Women oppressed themselves by trying to defend themselves against men. Instead of saying to defend themselves in the moment, third wave feminists said to allow whatever was happening to take place and then to bring the man to court. This sent the wrong message, as women fell back into their way of being obedient to
The image that is usually placed with feminism is that of a rabid, bra-burning, lesbian running around disclaiming the patriarchy. It could be that of a mid-century housewife complaining about how her only career choices are between teacher and secretary, or even of a woman with a sash and banner walking in front of the White House; preaching about her right to vote. However, this isn't necessarily the case. Ever since the rise of the internet, in the late 20th Century, feminism has had a revival causing it to grow in popularity and spread across forums everywhere. Women are joining this “third wave” movement to bring an end to the societal injustices that still plague the gender today (qtd. in Haslanger et al.). Feminism currently represents much more than it did in its infantile stage, having evolved to include relevant issues that affect every woman in today’s subordinating world. Issues such as rape culture, slut shaming, abortion and the wage gap have all been adapted into the feminist agenda with the hope that, as a united force, women could bring change to a misogynist society. The bra burning days are over, and feminism is on a rise, bringing light to issues that need to be addressed.
The goal of the first wave was to open up more opportunities women including being able to vote. The second wave of feminism occurred from the 1960s to the 1980s. This wave predominantly revolved around the wage gap, sexuality, and reproductive rights. The passing of the Equal Rights Amendment which was an amendment proposed to the United States Constitution guaranteeing social equality for both genders was a priority of the movement. The third wave of feminism began in the 90s and is still ongoing. This waves main focus is on patriarchy. Unlike the previous two waves, politics is not the main focus although it is a huge factor, third wave feminism is about breaking gender boundaries and old conceptions of what men and women should be. This wave is also all inclusive as I have mentioned before which is the biggest difference between the second and third wave. The third wave of feminism has redefined what the movement is, it used to be about politics and women only, feminism is now much
The origins of Third Wave feminism are highly debated, as there is no clear commonality that this wave uses to differentiate between the First and Second waves that occurred prior. Emerging during the 1990’s, Third Wave feminism sought to build upon the achievements and ideas that were accomplished during First and Second wave’s, by increasing the significance and accessibility of its ideas to a greater spectrum of people.
In “Colorblind Intersectionality,” Devon W. Carbado explains that often intersectionality focuses “squarely on Black women or on race and gender,” (Carbado 814). However, scholars have mobilized intersectionality to “multiple axes of difference—class, sexual orientation, nation, citizenship, immigration status, disability, and religion (not just race and gender),” (Carbado 815). In order for Carbado to expand and make of the word “intersectionality” more inclusive, he introduces two concepts, colorblind intersectionality and gender-blind intersectionality. Colorblind basically refers to “instances in which
Intersectionality is a term used to describe a situation whereby an individual has multiple identities and as result, the person feels that he or she doesn’t belong to one community or another. Because of the many conflicts in an individual’s identities, he or she could be a victim of multiple threats of discrimination (Williams, 2017). The discrimination could be a result of race, gender, age, health and ethnicity among others. To give an example, a black transgender woman could be discriminated in the workplace because of being black and also because she is transgender. From an intersectionality perspective, the woman faces multiple threats of discrimination because of the overlapping identities of gender and race and therefore the transwoman faces a bigger struggle (Barber, 2017). Transwomen of color will most likely encounter prejudices in the form of homophobia, racism or sexism in many dimensions of their life. The perspective of intersectionality is not only applicable to women but it can also be applied to males. For example, a gay Latino man could be discriminated based on race because he is an immigrant into
Minutes after her performance, celebrities started declaring themselves as feminist and what it meant. Beyoncé doing this led the conversation to a social movement that needed to occur. This leads girls of all ages to get involved in the discussion that is happening over women’s rights as a whole. Women of all ages listen to Beyoncé and for this she reaches an audience that most do not. Third -wave feminism focuses on reaching all groups of people that may other-wise be culturally divided. Lorber (2012: 305) says, “It emerged (third-wave feminism) in the 1990’s and it built on multiracial/multiethnic feminism, standpoint feminism, and postmodern feminism.” Beyoncé being a women of color she reaches a community that is otherwise ostracized for not only their sex, but also because of their color. Third -wave feminism focuses on these women. Lorber (2012:306) states, “…African American third-wave feminist want to be like them—strong, active, political, and confrontational.” After reading this section I knew that third-wave feminism was something that I was a part of because it teaches anyone to be resilient not just
Oppression of race, gender, sexuality or national origin intersect varying systems of power. Collins uses the phrase “intersectionality” to refer to concurrent coincidental multiple forms of oppression or domination. (Collins 1990)
A feminist that was able who influenced many other women, was Betty Friedan who used her works to help women understand the different things that could do with their lives and find a greater meaning in them. In one of Frieden's more known works, “Feminine Mystique” she was able to reassure women that they weren’t alone in their thoughts of feeling meaningless in their lives. “Feminine Mystique” states that “In 1960, the problem that has no name burst like a boil through the image of
Intersectionality also known as intersectional theory originally was a theory which was encoded in feminism. Intersectionality was a term in which feminists developed to explain how they were being socially oppressed because they were woman, in particular this theory addressed issues of the women’s suffrage movement and women wanting to retain the same rights as their male counterparts. As time progressed it became more common to see see it branched out into multidimensional levels of institutions such as- race, class, sexism, culture, religion, and even biological transgender. Intersectionality by definition aims to analyze multiple identities exposing different types of discrimination and disadvantages that occur
Intersectionality according to Patricia Hill Collins is the “theory of the relationship between race, gender and class” (1990), also known as the “matrix of domination” (2000). This matrix shows that there is no one way to understand the complex nature of how gender, race and class inequalities within women’s lives can be separated; for they are intertwined within each other.
Kathleen Hanna stated: “There are just as many different kinds of feminism as there are women in the world.” This could not be truer. With different types of women, you have different types of feminism, all differing in levels of activism however enveloping around the same purpose. The most popular definition of the term feminism is “the doctrine for advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men” (Dictionary). These would include perception of appearance and attitude, equal pay for equal work – constitutional equality, reproductive rights, ending violence against women, and more. Early thinkers, including Sappho, Hildegard of Bingen, Christine de Pisan, and more are considered the “foremothers of the modern women’s movement” (Rampton). There are three waves of feminism spanning from the late nineteenth century to present day. They encompass the first through the current attempts and successes of what women have fought for in their role in modern society. Roles of women have changed over the past 150 years in the home, the workforce and workplace, the church, and in the educational system. Despite great improvements in equality
The feminist movement helped earn women the right to vote, but even then, it wasn’t enough to get accepted into the workforce. They were given the strength to fight the journey for equality and social justice. There has been known to be three waves of feminism, each wave fighting for a different issue concerning women’s rights. Laws protecting sexual assault and alimony would be enacted, and women were now allowed custody of their children in divorce cases.