Intersectionality

Intersectionality is a framework for analyzing how overlapping social identities—such as race, gender, class, sexuality, disability, and nationality—shape experiences of oppression and privilege. Coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989 in the context of discrimination law, the term highlights why analyses that treat categories like race or gender in isolation miss people who belong to multiple marginalized groups. The concept emphasizes interlocking systems of power across institutions and social relations, often described as a matrix of domination.

Practically, intersectionality is used in law, sociology, gender studies, public policy, and advocacy to examine disparities in areas such as employment, healthcare, education, and criminal justice. It stresses that identities are not simply additive; rather, different axes of identity interact to produce unique patterns of advantage and disadvantage. For example, the experience of Black women may reflect both racism and sexism in ways that differ from those faced by Black men or white women.

Scholars critique the approach for potential essentialism, dilution of shared struggles, or methodological challenges in isolating intersectional effects. Critics warn that focusing on identity categories can complicate policy design or risk fragmentation. Proponents respond that intersectionality provides a necessary lens for capturing lived experiences and for crafting more inclusive research and policy.

Overall, intersectionality seeks to reveal how multiple forms of oppression intersect in concrete contexts, informing analysis, advocacy, and reform aimed at reducing inequalities.