ItsIts aa Gi r l! Gi r l! Its a Girl! 1
Intersectionality
this is book 1 in the “it’s a girl!” series.
This is us. We are white, cis-gender, able-bodied, have access to education and health care... In other words, we are incredibly privileged. We wanted you to know this in order to provide some perspective on what we have written. This is just one small side of a huge issue. We know that we do not own these questions, but we feel strongly about their importance. Our voices are just two of many, not more important than any other. Please open yourself up to as many voices as possible, and don’t be afraid to use your own. by ida johansson and olivia korostoff-larsson färnebo folkhögskola österfärnebo, sweden 2015
MY FEMINISM WILL BE INTERSECTIONAL OR IT WILL BE BULLSHIT - Flavia Dzodan
Intersectional Feminism is feminism that acknowledges the fact that all forms of oppression are related and affect one another. If you think about it, a human is a lot like an onion. We are each more than just the outer shell that everyone can see. Underneath, there are delicious and fascinating layers that make you, YOU. I would say, for example, that I am like a spring onion. I am a Swedish woman, I am twenty years old, a lover of peanut butter, a sister, a student... the list could go on forever! The privileges and disadvantages that I experience in this world are related to every aspect of who I am, not just the fact that I am a woman. So, when we talk about feminism, it is important to talk not only about gender, but about every part of a person´s identity. Intersectionality is a frame that recognizes the multiple aspects of identity that complicate oppression. At a more personal level, feminism without intersectionality keeps us from fully expressing our identities. A lack of intersectionality means we ignore the beautiful multilayered-ness of who we are!
Feminism in the mainstream is focused on white cis-gender, able-bodied women. It is a “one-size-fits-all� feminism centered on the group of women that already has the most privilege and the loudest voice. If today's feminists do not take the hard road of recognizing women from differing backgrounds, feminism will keep working only on behalf of women who are already relatively privileged. In order to do this, we must recognize that issues of gender cannot be separated from other forms of oppression. For example, a black woman cannot separate the oppression she faces based on her race from that which she faces based on her gender. A transgender person who is disabled cannot isolate one of his or her challenges from the others.
steps to make more your feminism intersectional
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When you talk about feminism or discrimination, do not exclude any form of oppression.
Who are you listening to? Read and listen to a diverse range of media. Try to understand many perspectives on every issue.
Don’t be afraid to call someone out for abusing their privilege and ignoring another’s oppression. Let them know that feminism is not true feminism if it is not intersectional!
Sometimes the right thing to do is to step back and leave space for others’ voices. It is in everyone’s responsibility to create an equal balance of power.
“Women come from a whole range of backgrounds. If our visions of peace don’t include these differences, then our peace will be partial.” - Kimberly Crenshaw
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