Lecture Notes on Intersectionality 101

Introduction

The purpose of this primer is to highlight the significance and application of intersectionality, a
framework that has gained substantial recognition over the past 15 years. It has been adopted
across diverse fields such as sociology, political science, health sciences, feminist studies, queer
studies, and more. Intersectionality is used to address inequities and foster social justice. It has
also been utilized by policymakers, human rights activists, and community organizers to confront
complex social issues. The primer provides a clear guide to intersectionality, exploring its key
elements, how it differs from other equity approaches, and its applications in research, policy,
and practice. Most importantly, it demonstrates how intersectionality can reshape the
understanding of social problems by including the breadth of lived experiences.

What is Intersectionality?

The term "intersectionality" was introduced in 1989 by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, an

American critical race scholar. However, its roots lie in the historic work of Black, Latina, queer,
Indigenous, and post-colonial scholars and activists. Intersectionality emphasizes that human
experiences are shaped by the interplay of different social locations such as race, gender, class,
and disability within systems of power like laws, policies, and media. It posits that inequities
arise not from single factors but from the intersections of these locations and power relations.
This framework provides a comprehensive understanding of privilege and oppression as
interconnected and context-dependent.

Key Tenets of Intersectionality

Human lives are multifaceted and cannot be fully understood by focusing on single categories
like gender or race. Instead, various social dynamics interact to shape lived experiences. The
significance of any social category or structure cannot be predetermined; it must emerge through
investigation. Intersectionality acknowledges that relationships and power dynamics between
social locations and processes (e.g., racism, sexism, ableism) are interconnected, evolving over
time and across geographical contexts. Individuals can experience privilege and oppression
simultaneously, depending on their situation or context. Multi-level analyses are crucial for
connecting individual experiences to larger systems of power. Reflexivity is essential for
researchers, policymakers, and activists, as they must consider their own positions and power
before engaging in intersectional work. Finally, intersectionality is fundamentally geared toward
transformation, coalition-building, and social justice.
Visual Representations of Intersectionality

To better understand intersectionality, various visual models have been developed. These include
metaphors like a traffic intersection representing intersecting oppressions, blended baking
ingredients symbolizing inseparable lived experiences, and the Grand Canyon’s complex
topography depicting rich, historic interconnections. Other representations include
kaleidoscopes, marble cakes, and fly’s eyes, emphasizing dynamic and multifaceted
perspectives. The Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW) uses a
wheel diagram to illustrate multi-level dimensions of social exclusion, while Rita Dhamoon’s
"matrix of meaning-making" highlights movement among processes and power structures across
time and space. These models collectively demonstrate the paradigm shift that intersectionality
offers in understanding social inequities.

Appeal of Intersectionality

Intersectionality appeals to researchers, policymakers, and leaders because it transcends single-

identity approaches, offering a nuanced understanding of human experiences. It fosters new
approaches to addressing inequities by linking diverse population dynamics with structural
factors. For example, Canada’s increasing diversity highlights the importance of understanding
intersections of ethnicity, language, and migration status. By 2031, nearly a third of Canadians
could belong to visible minority groups, with a similar proportion having non-English or non-
French mother tongues. This diversity presents unique challenges for public policy and social
change. Intersectionality generates comprehensive data to uncover root causes of social issues,
enabling more effective and tailored solutions compared to one-size-fits-all approaches.

Global trends underscore the urgency of intersectionality. Inequality has risen in most countries
over the past three decades, threatening social stability and global security. In Canada, income
inequality has grown, and child poverty rates are disproportionately high among Indigenous and
immigrant populations. Health disparities also persist, with First Nations individuals
experiencing significantly lower life expectancies than non-Indigenous Canadians. By addressing
these inequities, intersectionality offers "the best chance for an effective diagnosis and ultimately
an effective prescription" (Hancock, 2007).

Key Principles of Intersectionality

Intersectionality emphasizes that lives cannot be understood by reducing them to a single
category, such as gender or race. These categories are co-constituting, creating unique social
locations that differ based on time and place. The framework prioritizes understanding the
interactions between categories and their effects, rather than merely adding them together.
1. Multi-Level Analysis
Intersectionality operates at multiple levels, examining the interplay between macro-level
structures (like global or national institutions), meso-level systems (regional or provincial
frameworks), and micro-level dynamics (community or individual experiences). By
 addressing inequities across these levels, intersectionality reveals the relationships and
power dynamics between them, providing a more comprehensive understanding of social
issues.
2. Power
Power in intersectionality is both structural and relational. It operates to exclude certain
voices and experiences while privileging others. An individual can simultaneously
experience privilege and oppression depending on the context. Intersectionality also
rejects the notion of “Oppression Olympics,” which involves competing to determine
who is “most oppressed.” Instead, it focuses on understanding and dismantling the
systems that produce inequities and domination.
3. Reflexivity
A critical component of intersectionality is reflexivity, which involves acknowledging
power dynamics at the individual, organizational, and societal levels. This principle
encourages self-awareness, questioning of assumptions, and recognition of diverse
perspectives. Reflexivity promotes the inclusion of voices traditionally excluded from
research, policy, and decision-making processes.
4. Time and Space
Intersectionality recognizes that identities and experiences are fluid, changing over time
and across different contexts. Social positions and interpretations are shaped by historical,
cultural, and spatial factors. Therefore, analyses must consider these dimensions to fully
understand the impact of intersecting identities.
5. Diversity of Knowledges
This principle values diverse knowledge systems, including Indigenous and marginalized
perspectives, and challenges the dominance of traditional frameworks. It advocates for
inclusivity in defining evidence, incorporating qualitative, interpretive, and community-
based data to expand the scope of understanding and policymaking.
6. Social Justice
Intersectionality is rooted in the aim of transforming inequitable social structures and
processes. It seeks to create a fair distribution of resources while fostering dignity and
sustainability. By questioning existing power dynamics, it promotes innovative
approaches to achieve social transformation.
7. Equity
Equity focuses on fairness and justice, addressing systemic disparities beyond simple
equality. Intersectionality-based frameworks extend equity analysis by considering how
privilege and oppression interact to create inequities in outcomes.
8. Resistance and Resilience
Intersectionality highlights the agency of marginalized groups to resist oppression and
enact change. It rejects static labels like “marginalized” or “vulnerable,” emphasizing
shared relationships to power and the potential for collective action. Coalition-building
and activism are key tools for destabilizing dominant ideologies and promoting equity.

Intersectionality Compared to Other Approaches

Unlike a unitary approach, which focuses on a single category such as gender, or a multiple
approach, which considers more than one category but uses additive methods, intersectionality
explicitly investigates the relationships and interactions between categories. It recognizes the
dynamic interplay of individual and institutional factors and examines diversity within groups as
well as the political significance of differences.

Practical Applications of Intersectionality

1. Intersectionality in Men’s Health
Intersectionality has expanded the conversation in health equity by challenging the sole
focus on women as a disadvantaged group. It explores how intersections of race, class,
age, and culture shape health outcomes among men. For instance, African American men
experience unique forms of racialized gender oppression, such as racial profiling.
Furthermore, masculinity intersects with health differently at various life stages,
highlighting the need for nuanced health interventions.
2. Broad Benefits of Intersectionality in Policy and Research
Intersectionality reveals within-group differences that can often be more significant than
between-group disparities. It debunks gender-based assumptions and highlights
commonalities across groups, enabling better-targeted interventions. For example,
recognizing diverse expressions of masculinity shaped by culture and subcultures can
lead to more inclusive health and social policies.
3. Value Added in Policy
Intersectionality provides deeper insights into how systems of oppression and privilege
interact. It broadens definitions of evidence, promotes inclusive policymaking, and
fosters innovative paradigms for addressing social inequities.

Examples of Transformative Outcomes

Intersectional analysis has produced transformative outcomes in various fields. In health equity,
it uncovers overlooked risk factors and disparities, enabling more effective interventions. In
coalition-building, it fosters collaboration by highlighting shared experiences of oppression.
Lastly, in policy innovation, it encourages solutions that address root causes of inequity, paving
the way for lasting social change.