Exploring Intersectionality

Overview

If we don’t consider how different forms of inequality (e.g. racism, sexism, etc.) intersect, the most vulnerable among us risk falling through the cracks. In this activity, students watch and reflect on a TED Talk by Black feminist scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw. Along the way, they explore how some identities are normalised and privileged over others and come to recognise the value of using an “intersectional approach” when working to build a more just world.

Useful for

Materials

Procedure

Show Kimberlé Crenshaw’s TED Talk, The Urgency of Intersectionality. Before playing the video, give a brief introduction to the talk. You might say “There are many different forms of inequality: sexism, racism, transphobia, etc. It’s important to consider how different forms of inequality overlap. If we don’t, the most vulnerable will fall through the cracks. To understand why, let's listen to Kimberlé Crenshaw, a Black feminist scholar and law professor who has had a major influence on contemporary understandings of inequality.”
Distribute the “The Urgency of Intersectionality” hand-out and have students answer the questions as the video is playing.
Give students one minute of silence to process Kimberlé Crenshaw’s TED Talk. Alternatively, you might invite students to take part in a wellness activity, such as colouring or a breathing exercise.
Help students to consolidate what they learned from Kimberlé Crenshaw’s TED Talk by reviewing the TED Talk questions.

TED Talk Questions	Possible answers
What problem did Crenshaw’s opening “experiment” expose?	Crenshaw’s opening “experiment showed that awareness of the level of police violence against Black women is exceedingly low.
Why did Crenshaw start using the term “intersectionality?”	Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality” because she wanted to give a name to the fact that many social justice problems (such as racism and sexism) overlap, creating multiple levels of injustice.
How is Emma DeGraffenreid’s story an example of intersectionality?	Emma DeGraffenreid attempted to sue a local car manufacturing company for discrimination, claiming the company did not hire her because of her race and gender. Black workers at the company, who usually performed industrial jobs, were men. Women employees, who generally did secretarial work, were white. As a Black woman, Emma DeGraffenreid could not be hired because she faced racism and sexism simultaneously. Her story shows how multiple forms of inequality overlap and create obstacles that are not understood within conventional ways of thinking about discrimination.
TED’s slogan is “Ideas Worth Spreading.” What do you think is the idea worth spreading in this talk?	Answers will vary
Why do you think Crenshaw chose to finish her TED Talk with a song?	Answers will vary