Reflection 1

Harpreet Singh Bhatia

Faculty of Arts, Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Sociology 1125: Sociology (R01)

Fairuz Sharif

19 July ,2024
The concept of Intersectionality was first introduced by Kimberlé Crenshaw to highlight

the unique challenges faced by Black women in a society that is both racist and

misogynist. Intersectionality in simple terms is a way of understanding how different

parts of a person's identity, like their race, gender, and class, combine to create unique

experiences, especially when it comes to discrimination and unfair treatment. It helps

us see how these different aspects work together and affect someone's life in ways that

can't be understood by looking at each part separately.

This reflection will majorly explore my personal experiences as a Sikh Indian

international Student from a middle-class family through my understanding of

intersectionality and how this perspective has been enriched by class materials and

discussions.

Being a Sikh Indian, my ethnicity, religion, and socio-economic class are the multiple

intersecting aspects that have shaped my identity, of which I am proud of. However, it

was never easy. I have experienced both privilege and marginalization. For instance, my

upper middle-class status afforded me access to quality education and resources which

enabled me to pursue my study abroad. However, being part of a visible minority group

in a predominantly white society often made me vulnerable to subtle and sometimes

obvious forms of racial discrimination. My identity as a Sikh, with some distinct cultural

and religious practices, most of the times led to misunderstandings and prejudices in

my social and professional life as well.

One specific experience that highlights the intersection of gender, race, and class in my

life occurred during my time at A&W Restaurant, my first job when I came to Canada.
Initially, I enjoyed working there as everyone was cooperative and helpful. However,

over time, I had a manager, who was born in Canada and was white. As a Sikh, I always

wore a neatly tied turban and groomed beard, symbolic of my devotion to my faith.

Despite this, my manager insisted I have a clean shave. I tried explaining the religious

significance of my beard, but she was dismissive. This incident relates to the concept of

"racialization," where specific traits, like my beard, were racialized, leading to

differential treatment based on these perceived racial characteristics (Chapter 7, Slide

4)

Additionally, English being my second language, I spoke it most of the time at work, as

it was required in that professional setting. One day, a Punjabi-speaking customer came

in, and I switched to Punjabi to make him comfortable. Manager, however, reprimanded

me and insisted that I only speak English at work. She even threatened to write me up if

I continued speaking Punjabi. My manager was not afraid of doing all this because she

knew I was an international student facing financial hardships. I needed the job and the

shifts, so I had to swallow the discrimination. This soured our relationship and her

behaviour towards me kept becoming worse because of me being a rebel. This all

eventually led me to leave the job to escape the exploitation. This experience connects

with the idea of "language discrimination," a form of racial prejudice and stereotypes

that are perpetuated through social interactions (Chapter 7, Slide 11).

has influenced my perspectives and interactions with others. As in this case racial

discrimination made me more empathetic towards other marginalized groups.

Class discussions and readings, particularly from chapters 6, 7, and 8, have significantly

shaped my understanding of intersectionality. For instance, the concept of internal

colonialism discussed in Chapter 7 (Slide 10) helped me understand how systemic

oppression operates at multiple levels, affecting not just individuals but entire

communities. Similarly, Patricia Hill Collins' "matrix of domination" theory, which

builds on Crenshaw's work, provided a framework for understanding how multiple

forms of oppression interconnect (Chapter 7, Slide 10).

In Chapter 6, A discussion over the importance of acknowledging privilege alongside

oppression was made (Slide 8). This discussion helped me recognize that while I face

racial and religious discrimination, my socio-economic status affords me certain

advantages that others might not have. Chapter 8’s exploration of social stratification

(Slide 5) further deepened my understanding of how class influences our experiences

and opportunities in life.

Through this reflection, I’ve come to understand how complex our identities are and

how they shape our experiences. I now see how different forms of discrimination are

connected and why it’s important to address them together. This assignment showed

me that even if we aren’t part of a marginalized group, we can still understand and care

about their struggles. Intersectionality is important for social justice because it helps us
see the unique challenges people face when different aspects of their identity overlap.

For me, this means being more aware of the diverse experiences in my community and

supporting fairness and inclusion for everyone.

Works Cited

Patricia Hill Collins, Slide 10, Chapter 7, Week 9, "Race & Racialization", Instructor: Fairuz Sharif.

Chapter 6, Week 8, “Social Stratification”, Instructor: Fairuz Sharif.

Chapter 8, Week 10, “Intersectionality and Privilege”, Instructor: Fairuz Sharif.