This Bridge Called My Back Analysis

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The running theme within the readings for this week revolved around the topic of intersectionality. Through these readings, it is clear that social categories and their issues cannot be addressed or discussed as individual issues. For a clear discussion of issues of gender, sexuality, class, and race to be successful, there needs to be recognition of how the issues are interconnected. In This Bridge Called My Back, there were personal account regarding the link and association between social issues and experiences of discrimination.
In This Bridge Called My Back, it mentions how Third World Women are especially vulnerable to the "many-headed demon of oppression" (El Mundo Zurdo 195). It mentions how there is a feeling that they are the women on the bottom. Being a woman, a person of color, and a person of poverty, creates many discrimination and oppressions. There are also many instances of discrimination within the cultures of the Third World. Seemingly the discriminations can add up and create one blow after another. These are as a result of our society and the social construct of our "norm," …show more content…

The social norm is white, heterosexual, middle class, abled-bodied, and male. Those who do not fit within those social bounds have many opportunities to face the oppressive hit from other society members. A woman of color, for example, not only faces issues of racism, but she will also face discrimination as a result of sexism. In the various social movements, there is a separation or segregation that takes place. During the women’s movement, it was dominated by white, middle class women. Women of color were not outright included within the movement. Through these movements, not only is there discrimination within, but there is also exclusion. This shows a lack of understanding in how various issues are related, and how experiences of oppression can be

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