Intersecting Realities: Enriching Women’s History Month through Intersectionality
Who is this important month actually for?
Women’s History Month, observed in March, offers a crucial moment for reflection on the often unrecognized individuals in our ongoing pursuit of gender parity and the protection of women’s fundamental human rights. During this time, it is imperative to shine a light on the diverse stories and achievements of women throughout history, amplifying their voices and acknowledging their invaluable contributions to society. By commemorating Women’s History Month, we not only honor the resilience and strength of women but also recommit ourselves to fostering a more inclusive and equitable world for all.
Whilst we have always been feminists - individuals who actively advocate for and enable the advancement of women's fundamental rights and opportunities - it was not until we were challenged to become intersectional feminists that we truly embraced inclusivity, particularly for the most marginalized women around us.
As the world comes together to celebrate and honour women, placing them at the forefront, LAUDACE's message remains clear:
Women's History Month cannot be fully acknowledged without recognizing the crucial concept of Intersectionality. Anything else would make efforts to advance women's rights incomplete!
Defining Intersectionality
Coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, Intersectionality emerged amidst a series of groundbreaking lawsuits led by Black women, including DeGraffenreid v. General Motors, Moore v. Hughes Helicopter, Inc., and Payne v. Travenol. Crenshaw highlighted the inadequacy of the legal framework surrounding "discrimination" in cases where multiple forms of bias intersected, particularly racial and sexist discrimination.
People often mistakenly equate the convergence of one's identities with intersectionality, yet the theoretical framework introduced by Crenshaw delves much deeper. Intersectionality not only acknowledges the interconnection of different aspects of our identities but also shines a spotlight on power dynamics, social hierarchies, privileges, and the pervasive nature of systemic oppression within these intersections.
Intersectionality recognizes that many factors, including identity, relationships, and societal contexts, shape an individual's experiences. These elements intertwine to create varying degrees of advantage and disadvantage, influenced by systems of power such as patriarchy, ableism, colonialism, imperialism, homophobia, and racism. Most individuals possess identities that privilege them and identities that disadvantage them. Additionally, the fluid nature of our identities, like age or parental status, for example, reflects how this interplay between our identities can also evolve across time and space.
Crenshaw describes Intersectionality as “a metaphor for understanding the ways that multiple forms of inequality or disadvantage sometimes compound themselves and create obstacles that often are not understood among conventional ways of thinking.”
Taking an intersectional lens to reflect on identity & gender equity
At LAUDACE, Intersectionality forms the cornerstone of our perspective. To deepen your understanding and examine your own intersecting identities, we invite you to take a moment of introspection and reflect on the interplay of your identities.
Take 2 minutes to draw you identity circles and think of the ones that carry the most weight.
Below is an illustrative example of this diagram filled in by LAUDACE's founder, Axelle Ahanhanzo. In examining this representation, it becomes evident that possessing a high level of education, identifying as cis-gender, and belonging to the middle class undoubtedly offer certain privileges to Axelle. However, when these aspects converge with her identity as a Black neurodivergent woman, a distinctive and complex panorama of experiences and obstacles emerges.
Food for thought: How does your identity mosaic shape your everyday life and social interactions as a woman or a person?
We are Mosaics, not Monoliths!
Women need more financial resources to realise their rights and potential
While the International Women’s Day Committee champions "Inspire Inclusion" as this month's slogan, at LAUDACE, we advocate for Investing in Women—a call echoed by UN Women for the 8th of March celebrations. This entails dedicating action, resources, and ongoing effort towards achieving gender equity. It is crucial to create pathways for women to access better financial resources, empowering them to realize their rights and fullest potential.
Therefore, we must prioritize Intersectionality during Women’s History Month to ensure that our efforts to Invest in Women do not leave anyone behind. We urge you to be steadfast allies to marginalized communities, shedding light on voices frequently overlooked not only during March but every month after that.
Moving beyond theoretical discourse, how can you we integrate Intersectionality into our daily endeavours effectively and consistently? The United Nations, recognizing the critical importance of this issue, has crafted a comprehensive toolkit comprising eight Intersectionality enablers.
Here are three practical and actionable steps you can implement this Women’s History Month to actively embrace and embody intersectionality in your personal and professional spheres.
1. Reflexivity
Uncover and challenge your own unconscious biases, and build a habit of seeking and welcoming feedback from those whose intersecting identities compound the effects of discrimination. Listen intently and recognize how your position may silence others.
When acknowledging the significance of “Women’s” History Month or International Women’s Day, it is crucial to reflect on the diverse spectrum of women being recognized. It's essential to challenge the conventional white women-centred notions of "womanhood" by extending the narrative to encompass individuals historically marginalized or excluded. Prioritize amplifying the voices of women from all backgrounds, including Black women, Trans women, Disabled women, and Refugee women, among others. Embracing this inclusive approach is vital in fostering a more intersectional and empowering dialogue surrounding women's experiences and contributions.
2. Accessibility and universal design
Proactively allocate resources to ensure the meaningful and full participation of marginalized individuals with disabilities. This includes language interpretation, captioning, audio description, and other accommodations.
When organising events and sessions, it is essential to evaluate the accessibility of the spaces being used consistently. It is crucial to ask: Who might not be able to participate if these accommodations are overlooked? It is important to ensure that the needs of women with disabilities and neurodivergent women are being taken into account, allowing them to access the opportunities and resources provided to others fully. Avoid treating historically marginalised individuals as an afterthought or placing the burden on them to seek out accommodations that could have been anticipated and prepared for in advance, thus eliminating systemic barriers and fostering a sense of belonging for all participants.
3. Relational power
Examine power dynamics and how they fluctuate among individuals and contexts. Explore how societal structures and attitudes shape these dynamics.
Remember that everyone holds some level of power! Assess how you could use your relative power within your organization to support someone with less access than yourself tangibly. At your own scale, you can use your power to stand as a better ally for those with lesser privileges than you. By recognizing and leveraging the influence you possess, you can actively work towards creating a more equitable and inclusive environment for all individuals in your workplace and society.
Invest in Women (FEM-Start photoshoot)
“Intersectionality can also mean fighting discrimination within discrimination, tackling inequalities within equalities, and protecting minorities within minorities. It is white women standing up for women of color but also women of color standing up for disabled women of color, and so on.
So, when you think of gender, race, age, disabilities, or even social class, do not think of them as exclusive dimensions of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity, but on the contrary, as issues that come into communion and that intersect. To add even further to that, they amplify themselves as they intersect as well.”
At Laudace, we are committed to empowering communities & organisations to become equity-driven and intersectionality-focused through our ED&I Education, ED&I consultancy and Courageous Conversations Series solutions to foster more inclusive cultures, empower marginalized voices, and social impact.
If you're ready to make a real impact on your teams or communities, contact Laudace today. Together, we can ignite a positive transformation within your organization and create a more equitable world.