I seem to keep running into this word: Intersectionality. So, I went to Wikipedia to research it’s origin and meaning; to give myself some basic understanding of the word. This is one of those specific times that I wish I had much more direct contact, like in face-to-face conversations, with others in the LGBT community on a regular basis. But, I am relegated to internet relations and community for now – it’s a hazard of living as an older LGBT person in rural America. I wish I could discuss this word and it’s meaning and how it pertains to the LGBT community with some people who could explain it to me in more detailed terms.
From what I am gathering here it means basically that there are lots of “parts” of you that come together to make a “whole” of you. And “intersectional theory” claims that there are overlapping or intersecting social identities and related systems of oppression, domination and discrimination. This gets really deep, basically saying that we are multi-dimensional and intertwined with our various “parts” and the discrimination/oppression we experience is generally addressing the individual parts. So, I may be oppressed because I am a woman on one level, and then discriminated against because I am lesbian on another platform. It’s quite complicated. But I get the gist of it.
I encourage you to click on the link to the word intersectionality and read up on it. You may hear it being tossed around in the media a bit more, as we are realizing that marginalized people like us are also intersectionally challenged with multiple types of oppression, domination and discrimination.
I know, this is a deep subject I have chosen to address here, but it’s important for me to understand things like this as much as I possibly am able to understand. Vocabulary and wordsmithing is something I really like. I love to learn new words, and how to use them properly. I do realize that my understanding of “intersectionality” is currently limited to what I am reading here and on the web in general, and that personal discussion of how it affects others is much needed for me to understand it completely. So, if you have some input for me, or a take on what it means for you please leave me a comment, let’s have a discussion!
Peace! ~MainelyButch
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