So, today I learned about Intersectionality Feminism. It’s actually pretty cool. It reminds me of Post-Modernist Feminism, where because there are so many factors contributing to an individual, it is impossible to solve women’s problems because they are so diverse.
I like intersectionality because it encourages to consider different points of view. Not all women view topics in the same light, because of their culture, educational backgrounds, body type, life experiences, religion, etc. etc.
Here are two articles that informed me what it is supposed to be about: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/10572435/Intersectional-feminism.-What-the-hell-is-it-And-why-you-should-care.html and http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/01/why-our-feminism-must-be-intersectional/
I identify with this because as a female, I feel privileged to have grown up in a home with a supporting father, not caring whether I was a girl or a boy, and teaching me all the same lessons and instilling a strong sense of self-esteem in me. I am privileged due to my class and my level of education. My issues don’t match other women’s issues. So it’s good to distinguish between the two!
However, there are some issues I have with this ideology, and others have with the ideology as well. I feel like this is being spoiled, much like feminism is, by extremists, and – dare I say it – elitist exclusionarists (not sure if that’s a word, but let’s go with it).
The Problem of Invalidation:
http://intersectionalfeminism101.tumblr.com/faq
“Check your privilege.” Despite what I said above, this phrase absolutely kills my soul. Everyone’s life experiences are important, and even though there is an overwhelming majority who has taken control of the dialogue, people don’t have to be rude to take it back. A much better, understanding slogan would be, “Every point of view is validated,” or “Listen to all different forms of life experiences.” This would create an open-minded discussion where everyone is on a level-playing field. But intersectionality doesn’t seem to want to make anyone equal. They want to highlight groups who have “suffered” more than others and give them a larger voice/more power in the conversation. And while I think it is very important for them to have a voice, I don’t think it should be at the expense of anyone else’s. I don’t want people shaming me because of the privilege I will readily admit, and I don’t want anyone to believe I am patronizing them when I am trying to listen to their problems and offer support because “I can’t understand.”
The Problem of Division:
This leads to the problem of division. There are so many different “privilege” factors that the number of combinations becomes infinitesimal, until nobody can relate to anybody. I value the intersectionality that encourages us to embrace and acknowledge our differences, and stand by each other to support struggles that aren’t necessarily our own, but are valiant struggles that need some spotlight attention nonetheless. I don’t value the intersectionality that prevents me from bonding with my black best friendsand supporting her troubles because of my “white privilege.”
I also have a problem with the Tumblr article I linked above, saying that if you are not a black woman, you do not have a right to call yourself an intersectionalist. You are encourage to practice intersectionality, but you cannot appropriate their paradigm if you are non-black (including other minorities!). I find this ridiculous, like women telling men they can’t be feminists. Apparently, I can be an “ally,” but I am explicitly told that allies are not needed to fuel the movement. Well, who exactly are you trying to educate with the movement? The “others” with privilege. And if you don’t welcome them into your movement, or if you plan to constantly belittle them, they aren’t going to want to support them. Sadly, you need the majority on board for social change. So I am very disappointed with the rhetoric of this ideology.
The Problem of Victimization:
Lastly, this ideology is eerily Hegelian, proposing a Dialectic of Self vs Other. In this case, Self is the Privileged Majority, and Other is the under-privileged minority. Yet by trying to reclaim their sense of self, they are forced to subjugate the privileged majority by invalidating their experiences. There is no way to achieve an equilibrium of equality here. And no matter how privileged a person is, they’re going to have emotional baggage and scars too. And so then, there forms this hierarchy of privilege, where the less privilege you have, the more power you deserve in intersectionality feminism. There is a theory that being under-privileged forms a richer experience, which in part is true, because in the face of adversity, you learn a lot of lessons by undergoing it and overcoming it. However, that isn’t to say that adversity is linked directly to “privilege,” and that certain types of adversity are more worthy than others. This creates an atmosphere of victimization, because the less privileged you are, the more attractive you are to the cause. This also creates an atmosphere of undermining others’ experiences to further emphasize the disadvantage you are in.
Overall, I think intersectionality can be a beautiful, flourishing ideology because there are so many different facets of feminism that need to be recognized, embraced, and supported through their struggles. HOWEVER, I do not agree with all of the exclusionary and demeaning rhetoric. It’s like fighting fire with fire. If people are demeaning to you, being demeaning to them isn’t going to fix anything. Instead, trying to educate these very people about why they are wrong is the more important aspect to focus on here.
At least, that’s how I initially feel after surveying this limited scope.