4.14: Intersectionality

Coined by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw and advanced by sociologist Patricia Hill Collins, intersectionality may be seen as a framework for arguments about how systems of oppression (e.g., racism, sexism, classism) are interconnected and cannot be examined in isolation. An individual’s experiences and identity are shaped by the intersection of these multiple axes of power.

Imagine a single-issue lens on inequality: it can focus on race or gender or class. But what happens to people whose lives exist at the crossroads of these identities? This is the central question addressed by intersectionality—a concept coined by Crenshaw in the late 1980s. Crenshaw used a powerful metaphor to illustrate her point: think of discrimination as traffic flowing through an intersection. If a Black woman is hit by a car, which driver is at fault? Is it the one driving down ‘racism street’ or the one driving down ‘sexism street’? Her point was that the law, like much of social theory at the time, often only recognized claims based on a single axis of identity. A Black woman’s unique experience of being both Black and a woman was rendered invisible; her injury couldn’t be understood by looking at racial discrimination alone or gendered discrimination alone. She would, in effect, be standing in the intersection where the two forms of traffic collided.

While Crenshaw named the legal problem, Collins provided a broader sociological framework for understanding how these intersecting power relations work. Collins introduced the concept of a ‘matrix of domination,’ which describes how systems of power—like racism, sexism, classism, and heterosexism—are interconnected. Instead of seeing these systems as separate layers of oppression, she argued they interlock to create a unique social position for each individual. Collins also emphasized the importance of standpoint theory, which suggests that those who are marginalized within these intersecting systems have a unique, and often more critical understanding of how power operates. The perspectives and knowledge gained from living at these intersections are not just valid; they are crucial for developing a more complete picture of social reality.

Today, intersectionality is a foundational concept across the social sciences, humanities, and social justice movements. It pushes us to move beyond a simple ‘add and stir’ approach to identity (e.g., race + gender + class = total oppression) and instead allows one to analyze how these categories mutually shape each other to create unique experiences of both privilege and disadvantage. For example, the experience of a wealthy Black man is different from that of a poor Black woman, just as the experience of a white working-class woman is different from that of an Asian transgender immigrant. Intersectionality is not about ranking oppressions but about fostering a more nuanced and accurate analysis of power. It teaches us that we cannot fully understand any social issue, from healthcare access to workplace dynamics, without considering the complex interplay of multiple identities and the systems that structure them.