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Feminist Intersectionality Theory

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In “Applying Intersectionality & Complexity Theory to Address the Social Determinants of Women’s Health,” McGibbon & McPherson detail studies on social determinants on health to explain how feminist intersectionality theory can be used in addition to complexity theory in public health. In “The Problem with the Phrase Women and Minorities: Intersectionality- an Important Theoretical Framework for Public Health,” Bowleg problematizes rhetoric and practices in the public health field. She draws upon similarities between intersectionality and critical race theory to argue that intersectionality is a natural fit for the public health realm. Both Bowleg and McGibbon & McPherson explore the need to include intersectionality in the field of public …show more content…

An acknowledgement of multiple intersecting identities is a prerequisite to understanding inequality in the public health system and in fixing it (Bowleg 2012: 1). Bowleg cites the black feminist founders of intersectionality and uses intersectionality as theoretical framework. She operates from the position of marginalized populations to create space in a system that must acknowledge them by citing inequities such as those reflected by HIV rates. (Bowleg 2012: 2). Due to the infancy in the field cited by McKibben& McPherson there are issues in the potential application of intersectionality to public health. It is unclear how research on intersectionality ought be conducted given how few guidelines exist (Bowleg 2012: 4). Both critical race theory and intersectionality accept that race is a social construct and that racism can intersect with other identities to change the way oppression manifests itself (Bowleg 2012: 5). Crucially, critical race theory has had an impact on discourse related to public health (Bowleg 2012: 5). With that said, intersectionality is able to provide a unifying language for issues involving intersecting identities and provides a more informative discussion by studying different identities together (Bowleg 2012: 6). It embraces complexity to contribute to a more accurate

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Dutch Schultz was an infamous gangster, bootlegger and murderer who became a powerful figure in the New York crime world earning the nicknames “Beer Baron of the Bronx” and “The Dutchman.” He also expanded to illegal gambling and clashing with rival gangsters such as Legs Diamond and Vincent Coll. On top of all of these crimes, he would get in violent gun battles with the police. Dutch Schultz was one of the most violent gangsters in the 1920’s, but is not as well known as others.

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In “Intersectional Resistance and Law Reform,” Dean Spade proposes that the United States was founded through “racialization…(which) continues to operate under new guises… that produce, manage, and deploy gender categories and sexuality and family norms” (16). More over, these laws and norms tend to maintain the “status quo,” and employ an inherently flawed justice system that is only equipped to address single-axis discrimination issues (5). Thus, the intersectionality movement is largely dismissed by the social and justice systems, as it utilizes “critical intersectional tools… that are often (too) difficult for legal scholars to comprehend” (17). Interstionality’s progress is also impeded by advocates leaving to support single-axis issues. However, Spade warns that this approach is ineffective, as it fails to protect the most marginalized members of society.

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provides a view of a field that embraces the paradigm shift that focuses on the health and health care away from the white majority and towards the diverse experiences of racial and ethnic minorities. Of particular the author talks about the complexities of health disparities from preventing chronic conditions in minority population including both domestic and international perspectives. The author further refers to social policy and the role of race and ethnicity in health research, social factors contributing to mortality, longevity and life expectancy, quantitative and demographic analysis and access and utilization of health services. LaVeist’s intended audience is undergraduate and graduate student but a wider audience exists such as community

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Intersectionality can be described as the effect of overlapping of systems of discrimination, based on social categories like race, gender, and class, on an individual or group. White feminists did not understand why it was necessary to combat the racial systems that effected Chicanas. Chicanas faced ideologies of racial inferiority and hyperfertility, which contributed to the reasons why they were victims of forced sterilization. To combat forced sterilizations, Chicanas urged feminists to include a 72-hour waiting period for sterilizations and informed consent (Davis, 131). However, because white feminists at the time were focused on obtaining immediate rights to their bodies, they saw informed consent and a waiting period for sterilizations as inconveniences (Davis, 131).

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In this part, the intersectionality of race and gender developed by Critical Race theorist can be used. Critical Race Theorist argues that “race does not occur independently of the histories of

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An intersectional examination of the challenges of African Americans reveals that there are various factors that aide in the oppression of this group. Race, gender, and sexuality are all interlocking aspects to the challenges face by Black men and women. Three scholarly pieces that examine these interconnected issues and the affect that they have are “The Combahee River Collective Statement”, Black Sexual Politics by Patricia Hill Collins, and “Hip-Hop Feminist” by Joan Morgan. Each of these text argue for an understanding of Black people, and specifically Black women, in a manner that does not put race before gender and sexuality. While “The Combahee River Collective Statement” and Black Sexual Politics both seek to examine gender and sexuality

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Write an essay that explains and illustrates the significance of taking an intersectional approach to queer studies. Intersectionality is a theory which states that people have multiple identities and therefore belong to more than one community and thus experience multiple oppressions at the same time. Those who face multiple oppressions because of their layered identities are mostly queer women of color. Taking an intersectional approach to queer studies means exposing the inequalities and disadvantages that occur when people have multiple identities in order for transformational political work to happen. People of color, especially lesbian women of color experience this layered oppression.

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In this week’s reading, I connected the Ms. Article “Abstinence Isn’t Enough,” and the Feminist Theory Reader, “Defining Black Feminist Thought” in which I observed different perspectives of different feminist injustice both arguing that such social issues cannot be define in a macro-perspective. Therefore, interpreting my knowledge on the different issues presented in both these articles. In “Abstinence Isn’t Enough,” they introduced the issue that in 2011 President Bush funded 1.3 billion dollars for sex education only. Then the article states that President Obama funded 178 million dollars towards teen pregnancy prevention programs. Now, while both actions seem reasonable, according to the article, President Obama’s action is more

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Intersectionality Intersectionality, was first introduced by Kimberle Crenshaw. The word had to do with the laws involvement on matters of judgement on sex, gender, and race. She mentions in her video “Kimberlé Crenshaw - On Intersectionality - keynote - WOW 2016”, how African American women along with other women of color, both have been victims of many forms of discrimination and the law does nothing about it. Below, you will read about how intersectionality is spread all throughout the book “The Beast of Times”. The book, “The Beast of Times” by Adelina Anthony talks about intersectionality in many ways.

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Gloria Steinem: Female Activist Gloria Steinem rose to national fame as a feminist leader in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s for her work as a journalist, activist and political organizer. Her tireless efforts to lobby for social and economic equality allowed Gloria to emerge as an enduring symbol of female liberation. She advocates for intersectional feminism which examines the intersections where forms of oppression overlap and looks at the institutions and conditions hindering women from advancing as a whole. Gloria adapts her approach to issues as the social and political landscape transforms and she continues to promote an intersectional feminist agenda in a paradoxical world where many changes have occurred, but many issues remain.

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This intersectional approach allows for a more nuanced and complex understanding of how power operates in different contexts. For example, a feminist geographer might explore how the experiences of black women in urban spaces are shaped by both gender and race, as well as by other factors such as class and citizenship

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1.The theory/concept of intersectionality is a theory centered around oppression, domination and discrimination through various mediums from the social and cultural elements of society. The theory can be applied in many ways toward women as well as their involvement in the criminal justice system. Some forms of discrimination that is more prevalent in perceiving the individual is using a woman's status, race, sexual orientation, ability and age, however there can be more added to this list. The wiki article said “The theory proposes that we should think of each element or trait of a person as inextricably linked with all of the other elements in order to fully understand one's identity.”

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Without applying intersectionality in analysis, oppression can only be understood in general terms, which can cause forms of oppression to become undetected (Mattsson, 2014). Instead, intersectionality, demonstrates the complexity of gender, sexuality, class, and race avoiding stereotypes as a whole, rather than simplifying an individual based on one characteristic (Mattsson, 2014). For example, when I was working at a Community Centre in the Jane and Finch area, I had a conversation with my co-worker. He described the barriers and struggles he has faced because of his race and socioeconomic status. It was through this conversation that I realized the pre-conceived notions my co-worker had about me, as a white individual who did not grow-up in the same neighbourhood.

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Midterm Intersectionality: As a human being you are not bound nor placed into one single group or category. You yourself do not identify solely by gender or race. There are multiple aspects to you that make you who you are; it consists on how you see yourself and how the world perceives you. Intersectionality is the interwoven identities that make up who you are: race, class, gender, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, etc. They are interdependent and can be shaped by one’s own personal experiences.

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Dr. Martin Luther King stated that "Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane” (Kennedy, 2013). Before the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, many Americans had no option for healthcare unless they were employed by a company that offered healthcare benefits. During the recession, many people lost their jobs at no fault of their own, and were left without coverage. I found myself in this situation. When I got sick, I tried everything over the counter first.

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