Since the early 21st century, the term ‘intersectionality‘ has been widely embraced across various fields. In academia, intersectionality has become a popular discourse of practice in many interdisciplinary areas. It is practised in scholarly journal articles, textbooks, and courses, including those in media studies, sociology, political science, history, and more.
Similarly, human rights organisations and government officials have also adopted this term and aim to include it in their policy discussions (Collins and Bilge, 2020; p.1). Hence it has become an overarching term that overlaps various aspects of social identity.
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“Intersectionality investigates how intersecting power relations influence social relations across diverse societies as well as individual experiences in everyday life. As an analytical tool, intersectionality views categories of race, class, gender, sexuality, nation, ability, ethnicity, and age – among others – as interrelated and mutually shaping each other. Intersectionality is a way of understanding and explaining complexity in the world, in people, and in human experiences.” (Collins and Bilge, 2020; p.1).
Navigating Intersectionality: Understanding Complex Social Identities
The metaphorical concept of intersecting identities and consequently discrimination was introduced and developed by Black feminist legal scholar Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw (Carastathis, 2014; p. 305). In the wake of Crenshaw’s work, the concept of intersectionality has become widely popular. In some circles, it’s acceptable to use ‘intersectionality‘ as a synonym for oppression even without specifying the intersecting factors. This vagueness might contribute to its success (K. Davis in Carastathis, 2014; p. 305).
However, using the term ‘intersectionality‘ casually can hide its critique of deeply ingrained cognitive patterns in feminist and anti-racist thinking about oppression and privilege. Crenshaw herself acknowledges that this term was originally a ‘provisional concept’ that has a “wide reach, but not [a] very deep” one (Berger and Guidroz, 2010; p. 76). Nevertheless, Crenshaw revolutionised how academics and activists alike perceive their social identity.
Impact of Intersectionality in Everyday Life and Society
She taught us that various social divisions, such as class, race, and gender, are generated by external power relations. When these divisions overlap, we gain a deeper insight into the significance of intersectionality. The overlapping of these social divisions reveals the complex and interconnected nature of individual experiences and identities.
For instance, the experiences of a working-class woman of colour differ significantly from those of a white woman from a wealthy background. Even when comparing a working-class woman of colour to a white woman, their experiences won’t be the same due to their different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Understanding intersectionality allows us to recognise and address the unique challenges and forms of discrimination faced by individuals who belong to multiple marginalised groups.
Intersectionality Beyond Theory: Practical Applications and Advocacy
Growing up as a Punjabi-Pakistani Muslim woman living in the UK, my perspective on intersectionality is shaped by my unique experiences at the intersection of various identities. Navigating the complexities of race, culture, religion, and gender, I have encountered challenges and opportunities that highlight the importance of understanding and addressing overlapping systems of oppression.
One of the biggest challenges has been growing up in a predominantly white town while wearing a headscarf and my traditional clothes to school. There weren’t many girls who wore a kurta to school; I often felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb with my longer shirt. I noticed that other girls of the same religious and ethnic background as me, who didn’t wear a hijab or a kurta, were more popular. More people knew their names and approached them.
One day, I remember walking in town with my hijab on, and I was approached, but not in the way I had expected. An elderly white man came up to my face and shouted at me, calling me a racial slur. I wasn’t sure what I had done to provoke that reaction. For a brief period afterward, I stopped wearing my hijab. I walked out of my house without it and wore Western clothes. I noticed people smiling at me more. Perhaps it was a coincidence, or maybe people were just feeling nicer that day, but it stuck with me.
Why did people react differently when I wore different clothing? Do they only see me as a woman now? Am I no longer a Muslim woman to them? I find that it is my religious identity that is the easiest to eliminate. Once I removed my headscarf, there is no definite way of telling whether I’m Muslim or not. But even then, without the headscarf, I am still a brown woman in the United Kingdom. I have very ethnic features; I know I won’t be treated the same as a white woman next to me due to my darker and thicker hair, bigger nose, and slight accent.
These physical features mark me as different, and often, they come with their own set of stereotypes and prejudices. It’s a reminder that even when I shed one layer of identity, another is still firmly in place, shaping how I am perceived and treated in society. This experience made me reflect on the way clothing choices can impact how people perceive and interact with us.
It also highlighted the complexities of navigating identity in a diverse society. As a South Asian Muslim woman, this encounter exemplifies the intersectionality of my identity, where my religious and cultural background intersects with my gender, shaping how I am perceived and treated in different social contexts.
Challenges Within Family Dynamics
This feeling extends even within my own family. I often feel like I don’t fit in with certain cousins because I wear a headscarf and they don’t. Am I too extreme for them? Too foreign? Even within my own family, I feel like the odd one out because my sisters and I are the only ones with the hijab on. It’s like I’m always on the outside looking in, even among those who are supposed to be closest to me. Moreover, this sense of not fully belonging also exists in a class sense.
I grew up working-class and still identify as working-class, whereas most of my cousins—male and female—grew up middle class. I have often felt a distance between my cousins and I. Even when I didn’t have my headscarf on, that feeling of alienation never disappeared. Perhaps they feel as if they can’t connect with me because I don’t have an en-suite bathroom in my house or because I didn’t go skiing during the summer like they did.
This experience within my family illustrates how intersectionality deeply influences family dynamics, affecting the sense of belonging within family structures. It’s not just visual differences that can set family members apart, but also unseen factors that run deep. Even within a group of people who share the same religious, ethnic, and racial background, there are still elements that can create diversity and distance.
In my own family, I’ve seen how differences in socioeconomic status, education levels, gender roles, mental health, and personal experiences contribute to varying perspectives and experiences. These factors may not be immediately visible but significantly impact our relationships and interactions. This experience within my family illustrates how intersectionality deeply influences family dynamics, affecting the sense of belonging within family structures.
It’s not just visual differences that can set family members apart, but also unseen factors that run deep. Even within a group of people who share the same religious, ethnic, and racial background, there are still elements that can create diversity and distance. For instance, while I struggle with knowing where I belong as a visibly Muslim woman in my family, others have their battles. I have cousins who have immigrated to England and perhaps do not fit in because English doesn’t come as naturally to them as it does to me, and they might not understand British humour. These differences create unique challenges for each of us, highlighting how intersectionality shapes our experiences in various ways.
In conclusion, as a Punjabi-Pakistani Muslim woman living in the UK, my personal journey has been deeply influenced by the intersection of various identities: race, class, culture, religion, and gender. These intersecting factors have significantly shaped how I am perceived and treated in different social contexts, from my experiences in a predominantly white town to interactions within my family.
Through sharing these narratives, it becomes evident that intersectionality is not merely an academic concept but a lived reality for many marginalised communities. These personal experiences vividly demonstrate the complex interplay of various social identities and the unique challenges faced by those who belong to multiple marginalised groups.
Therefore, understanding intersectionality is essential for recognising the interconnected nature of social structures and advocating for social justice. As we navigate the complexities of identity in diverse societies, it becomes evident that intersectionality matters. It serves as a powerful lens through which we can understand and address systemic inequalities. By embracing intersectionality, we can strive towards building a more inclusive and equitable society where every individual is valued and respected, regardless of their intersecting identities.
Berger, M.T. and Guidroz, K. eds., 2010. The intersectional approach: Transforming the academy through race, class, and gender. Univ of North Carolina Press.
Carastathis, A., 2014. The concept of intersectionality in feminist theory. Philosophy compass, 9(5), pp.304-314.
Collins, P.H. and Bilge, S., 2020. Intersectionality. John Wiley & Sons.
