Intersexuality

This week’s readings add the concept of difference to body politics, and ask us to think about how women’s bodies can situate them within multiple identity categories.

FIRST, define “intersectionality” (or “intersectional feminism”) in your own words.

THEN, discuss how intersectional identity can affect women’s experiences and relationship to society.

Refer to at least three learning resources assigned for this week in your response (these may include last week’s course module reading “Women and Body Politics“) and provide specific examples from the reading, the news, or your own life. Some questions to consider:

• What is the historic relationship between women of color and mainstream feminism? What remedies have been proposed to repair that relationship?
• How can differences in race, class, age, sexual orientation, nationality, ability, religion, gender identity, or other identity categories affect how a woman experiences the images and expectations of women found throughout our society and the media?
• How can different intersectional identities complicate the decisions about which goals feminist activists and politicians ought to pursue?
• Why are African American feminists particularly vocal about the problems of mainstream feminism for women of color? What is the history that they are trying to emphasize?
• Age is often a “forgotten” identity category, particularly when it comes to political activism. Why do you think that is? What can be done about it?
• Why and how does intersectional feminism help us to reconceive relationships among women of different identity groups? How can this reconception benefit our society in the long run?