Intersectionality

Objectives:

Students will understand the importance of intersectionality.
Introduce students to the concept of intersectionality to help them gain a new framework for better examining themselves and how they fit into the world around them. Learning from and with one another is the first step to making justice real and becoming data activists.

Vocabulary:

Intersectionality: Intersectionality is recognizing that one’s life is often shaped by different aspects of their identity, such as their race, class, gender,etc.

Resources

Preparation Notes

For the video, “The urgency of intersectionality”, and we will complete a 3-2-1 reflection.
Additionally, you must print out the image required for the ‘Pyramid of White Supremacy Activity’

Introduction:

Intersectionality is recognizing that one’s life is often shaped by different aspects of their identity, such as their race, class, gender,etc. “Employing an Intersectional Framework acknowledges that there are social systems in place that create barriers and challenges for some individuals, while simultaneously providing privilege and power for others. While the idea originated from the scholarship of Black women, an intersectional lens is an important tool in advancing social justice for all groups in today’s society” (Intersectionality in Tech 101).

We all have our own struggles and challenges, and some of them are small, huge, unfair and beyond our control. It can be challenging to understand someone else’s trials because no one has the same background. You might be a person of color, have a disability or a different religion. I don’t know what it’s like to be you, and you don’t know what it’s like to be me. As a result, it is essential to try to understand what other people are going through, so we can help each other overcome those obstacles. Sometimes you will be the person with the most privilege and sometimes you will be the person with the least privilege in a group.

As a result, in this activity we will all work together to make a Pandas Dataframe that combines all of our identities. Next, students will be tasked with getting to know one person in the dataset that seems to have a different background, and will find aspects of their lives that they have in common. The instructions correspond with each slide in the presentation.

Activity Steps

Play the instructional video titled “Intersectionality”. The video clip is approximately 30 seconds. Here is the script and the slides(SLIDES 21) used in the video.
Ask the class if anyone has heard of intersectionality? Take a few minutes to discuss your answers to this question.
Play the instructional video titled “Intersectionality”. The video clip is from 30 seconds - 2 minutes and 2 seconds. Here is the script and the slides(SLIDES 22-26) used in the video.
Show the video titled “The urgency of intersectionality”(18 minutes). While they are watching the video, have students take notes using the 3,2,1 framework.
Instruct students to pick a feeling that describes how the video made you feel based on the Feelings Wheel and write their answers to the following:
- How did this video make you feel?
- What did she say that made you feel optimistic?
Once everyone completes the discussion, everyone should discuss their answers in their small group of 10 people for 5 minutes, then in the larger group of 20 students for 5 minutes. Along with discussing what they wrote in the 3,2,1 framework, have everyone discuss their answers to these questions:
- Why are social injustice issues often intersectional? Answers to look for:
  - Multiple Identities: People have multiple social identities (e.g., race, gender, class, sexuality) that intersect. Each identity can contribute to unique experiences of discrimination or privilege. For instance, a black woman may face racism differently than a black man or a white woman.
  - Compounding Disadvantages: Intersectionality shows how different forms of discrimination can overlap, creating compounded disadvantages. For example, an LGBTQ+ person of color may face both racism and homophobia, leading to unique challenges not experienced by those who face only one form of discrimination.
  - Holistic Understanding: Recognizing intersectionality provides a more comprehensive understanding of social injustices. It helps identify how systemic structures of oppression are interrelated and how they can be addressed more effectively by considering these interconnections.
- How will you apply the idea of intersectionality to your life going forward? Answers to look for:
  - Awareness and Education: Commit to continuously educating yourself about the different forms of discrimination and privilege. Understand that people’s experiences are shaped by multiple, overlapping social identities.
  - Advocacy and Allyship: Advocate for policies and practices that consider the intersectionality of social issues. Support organizations and movements that address multiple forms of oppression simultaneously. Be an ally to those facing intersecting forms of discrimination, listening to and amplifying their voices.
  - Personal Reflection and Action: Reflect on your own privileges and biases. Consider how your actions and decisions affect people differently based on their intersecting identities. Aim to be more inclusive and considerate in personal and professional interactions.
  - Community Engagement: Engage with diverse communities and learn from their experiences. Understand that effective social justice work requires collaboration and solidarity across different groups.
  - Policy and Practice: If in a position to influence policies or practices, ensure they address the needs of people with intersecting identities. This could mean advocating for workplace policies that support women of color, creating programs that address the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals with disabilities, or ensuring that social services are accessible to all marginalized groups.
  - Data Activism:
    - Team Up: Work with diverse organizations to get a broad perspective.
    - Mixed Research: Use both numbers (quantitative data) and personal stories (qualitative data) to understand issues better.
    - Specific Measurements: Create ways to measure how problems affect intersecting identities. For example, check how unemployment rates affect transgender people of color.
    - Community Involvement: Involve people from different backgrounds to ensure the data activism reflects their needs.
    - Push for Change: Use the data to advocate for policies that address the root causes of inequality.
Play the instructional video titled “Intersectionality”. The video clip is from 2 minutes and 12 seconds - 3 minutes and 25 seconds. Here is the script and the slides(SLIDES 27-28) used in the video.
Pyramid of White Supremacy:
- As data activists, it is crucial that we acknowledge that white supremacy is not limited to extreme hate crimes, such as those committed by the KKK. Rather, we must recognize it as pervasive and entrenched within everyday interactions and systems.
- Using the “Pyramid of White Supremacy” print outs:
  - Underline or circle an example of white supremacy that you have heard before. Give students around 7 minutes to complete this activity.
  - If there is a statement that you don’t understand, click on the Dictionary link.
- Small Group Discussion after students have drawn on their pyramids (5 minutes):
  - Which one of these sentences/terms have negatively affected you or a person you know?
  - What are the interlocking systems of oppression that you deal with on a daily basis?
Play the instructional video titled “Intersectionality”. The video clip is from 3 minutes and 25 seconds - 3 minutes and 52 seconds. Here is the script and the slides(SLIDES 29-30) used in the video.
Instruct students to Review the chart titled, “Intersecting Forms of Oppression” provided, then write their answers to this question, “What are the interlocking systems of oppression that you face or might face daily based on aspects of your identity?” (Give students around 5 minutes to complete this activity).