The Race Equity Series
The Race Equity Series (RES) is part of the Home Truths 2 programme which stimulates mainstream civil society to take serious practical action on anti-racism and race equity.
In part three of the series, we focus on the often-misunderstood concept of intersectionality.
Intersectionality is an analysis of systems of power and domination. It helps to explain how legal and other life-shaping arrangements lift up some populations and hold down others, including Black and Minoritised Ethnic people.
Intersectionality is a reminder that organised racism, misogyny, class interests, ableism, homophobia and so on are interconnected – though not the same. And getting inside the concept can help to ensure more powerful and nuanced endeavours for anti-racism and race equity.
The wrong end of the telescope
Intersectionality has sometimes been used in ways such that Kimberlé Crenshaw – the legal scholar who coined the term – has found it hard to recognise her original work. This precise and nuanced area of law has become used in a whole host of ways for which it was not designed.
In some ways, we have been looking at intersectionality through the wrong end of the telescope. The focus has overly centred on those populations impacted by multiple forms of discrimination in society. This can result in quarrels about which identity groups are most disadvantaged in day-to-day life. It is important to recognise those affected by how power is organised. However, transformation requires that problems are dealt with at source and that interconnected systems of domination are dismantled and replaced.
Paralysis and whataboutery
In civil society, there is considerable intersectionality talk. When someone says in a meeting that “we need to think intersectionally about this problem,” lots of people nod along – without having much sense of what it means in practice.
Intersectionality can lead to paralysis and confusion. Anti-racist efforts, for example, to support Black women, can hit a wall of ‘whataboutery.’ In such circumstances, before a targeted intervention can take place, the question raised is ‘what about’ other groups experiencing compounded harms, such as women who are white and working class. While it is right to address harm wherever it lies, it can end up as cover for slow or no progress on race equity.
Life-affirming systems and practices
Mobilising intersectionality for practical anti-racism and broader equitable outcomes has proved challenging. To move forward, it is important to foreground oppressive systems.
For civil society organisations, this can mean appraising internal practices and mindsets, such as recruitment, retention, pay and strategy development. The aim should be to replace, with life-affirming alternatives, systems and structures that hold down or fail to lift up Black and Minoritised Ethnic and other traditionally marginalised groups.
The same goes for the externally-focussed work of organisations – including changing what institutions do in the world to prioritise race equity and broader liberation and equitable outcomes.
For campaigners, agitators and advocates for equity and justice, a focus on replacing mutually reinforcing systems of oppression can help to build solidarity across impacted populations. And this in turn can generate collective power to ensure that change happens.
From the specific to the general
As well as a focus on long-term systems change, there is a requirement to return to more immediate practical work.
In particular, following on from Crenshaw’s pioneering work on Black women, there is a case for specificity and not overcomplicating intersectionality. Rather than over-layering oppressed identities one on top of the other, we can look at specific overlaps, e.g., how Black and Minoritised Ethnic women and non-binary people are situated in civil and wider society.
We learn from maternal health data, that Black women can face particular injustices. Addressing such urgent issues can be part of more generalised long-term systemic transformation. In this way, we can have an intersectional analysis of life and at the same time keep a direct focus on racism.
To further get to grips with intersectionality and what it may mean for you and your organisation, please join our third Race Equity Session event from 10:30am-11:30am on 24 September 2024.
You will find a friendly and stimulating setting. We’ll explore the topic with input from Sanjiv Lingayah, Home Truths 2 race equity lead, wise words from renowned writer Kimberly McIntosh and a guilt-free, curiosity-driven and practical discussion with participants.
We look forward to seeing you.
The authors would like to thank Martha Awojobi of JMB Consulting for helpful guidance on this piece. Any shortcomings in this blog are entirely due to the authors.
