Intersectionality
Definition
A term which derives from Black feminist thought and broadly describes how social identities exist within ‘interlocking systems of oppression’ and structures of (in)equalities (Crenshaw, 1989). Intersectionality offers a perspective on the way multiple forms of inequality operate together to compound or exacerbate each other. Multiple concurrent forms of identity can have a multiplicative effect and are not merely the sum of the component elements. One implication is that identity cannot be adequately understood through examining a single axis (e.g., race, gender, sexual orientation, class) at a time in isolation, but requires simultaneous consideration of overlapping forms of identity.
References:
- Crenshaw, K. W. (1989). Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine. University of Chicago Legal Forum, 1989(8), 139–168.
- Grzanka, P. R. (2020). From buzzword to critical psychology: An invitation to take intersectionality seriously. Women & Therapy, 43(3–4), 244–261.
- (2021). The Pandemic as a Portal: Reimagining Psychological Science as Truly Open and Inclusive. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/gdzue
Originally drafted by: Madeleine Pownall
Reviewed by: Ali H. Al-Hoorie, Bradley Baker, Mahmoud Elsherif, Wanyin Li, Ryan Millager, Charlotte R. Pennington, Flávio Azevedo
Suggest an improvement
Spotted an error, a broken link, or think this entry is missing something? Let us know — this goes directly to the glossary team.