Intersectionality

Question 1

What did Kimberle Crenshaw discover?

Answer 1

Racial identities shaped experiences as much as being a woman. Identity politics often ignore multiple pieces of an identity (eg. being a black woman - race and gender)
- forms of discrimination can overlap and create hardships/privileges

Question 2

Examples of social identities

Answer 2

Age, class, religion, ethnicity, ability, gender, race, sexual orientation

Question 3

Where can intersections occur?

Answer 3

• laws, policies, state governments
• political organizations (eg. unions, political parties)
• community norms and practices
• religious institutions
• media

Question 4

What is class?

Answer 4

Social, economic, educational status. For example, many people identify as middle class but what is it truly?

Question 5

What is race?

Answer 5

A socially constructed notion that people will behave and be a certain way based on physical features.

Question 6

What is racism?

Answer 6

A belief that one or more groups is superior.

• more than just individual acts of hate
• becomes institutionalized and people do not realize they have this bias

Question 7

What is systemic discrimination?

Answer 7

Patterns of behaviour, policies, or practices that disadvantage racialized persons.

Question 8

What is environmental racism?

Answer 8

Lack of decision-making power due to race and socioeconomic class.

• disproportionate location of potential hazardous sites or industries near racialized, low-income populations and the working poor
• eg. Flint Water Crisis