When there is no name for a problem, you cannot solve it
In short: If you stand at the crossroads of multiple forms of exclusion, you are likely to be hit by both. Kimberlé Crenshaw argues that our current social frameworks often fail to see the unique burdens faced by those living at these intersections, leaving specific victims invisible to the public eye.
Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality explains how overlapping social identities—such as race, gender, sexuality, and disability—interact with structures of racism and oppression. She argues that these spheres of identity operate on multiple levels, creating multidimensional experiences of discrimination. When we fail to use 'capacious' enough frames to describe these experiences, our efforts to mobilize resources remain partial and exclusionary.
Emma DeGraffenreid, an African-American lady, initiated a lawsuit against a factory for employment discrimination, sparking the original idea. The judge dismissed her claim because the company hired people of her race and people of her gender, but not people who were both. Crenshaw visualised DeGraffenreid at the crossroads of her dual identities as a woman and African-American, labelling this 'injustice squared.'
The way violence gets handled and documented in the real world is impacted by this specific conceptual issue. The lack of visibility regarding violence targeting African-American women across politics, media, and activism is emphasised by Crenshaw. She notes that while the lives of fallen men often generate communal outcry, the stories of women like Michelle Cusseaux and Aura Rosser are frequently forgotten.
To combat this invisibility, Crenshaw launched the SayHerName campaign. The movement aims to create a 'cacophony of sound' to bring these women into the light. By naming the specific problems and the specific people affected by them, the goal is to move beyond partial solutions toward a more complete understanding of systemic harm.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The urgency of intersectionality | Kimberlé Crenshaw | TED
- Also: The urgency of intersectionality: Kimberlé Crenshaw speaks at TED2016 | TED Blog
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