Question

What is intersectionality? Why is it so important to global women’s studies?

Answer 1

Intersectionality assertsconsiders that the various forms of social stratification, such as class, race, sexual orientation, age, disability and gender, do not exist separately from each other but are complexly interwoven. Intersectionality is of particular importance to global women’s studies because it highlights how other forms of social oppression create unique issues for women. For instance, a woman of colour experiences a combination of both racism and sexism. Because women of color are present within discourses that have been designed to address either race or sex, but not both at the same time, women of color are marginalized within both of these systems of oppression.