Intersectionality makes sense to me in the way that it was originally described by Crenshaw, as a literal intersection where bias can come from any direction. Further explaining it as something additive rather than something subtractive, I think clears up a lot of confusion about the word and how it is used today as something like a blanket term¹. To me, intersectionality is the combination of subject positions – or parts of our identity. None makes the others invalid or takes away from the other, but when the intersect it can make things difficult. For example, being gay and Christian might be conflicting because of the church’s views on homosexuality.
For my intersectionality map I chose ethnicity, place, religion, language, education, and financial background as some of the major subject positions in my life that intersect or work in tandem to influence my relation to fashion and just who I am as a person.
Ethnicity / Language
Being Mexican- American, I have tan skin and dark curly hair, I definitely look ethnic. However I have trouble with Spanish, though I used to be somewhat fluent, growing up in a community with a dominant white community I never spoke it. I grew kind of ignoring this big part of me.
Financial Background / Place
Not having too much money and growing up in this isolating environment I became a bit indifferent to my clothing choices. I didn’t put thought or effort in to what I wore. It became just something I had to do.
Religion / Education
I was raised catholic and I do believe in god, however I have very liberal beliefs and don’t think of god as the same way a lot of Christians do. My siblings went to a Private Christian school with strict beliefs, most of my town was this way. Being Mexican and Catholic was not great in school, especially for my siblings whom I was very close to. I went to a public school, so it wasn’t as bad. But it was a mostly white, and very rural place. There wasn’t many opportunities.
Citation
1 Stamper, Kory. “A Brief, Convoluted History of the Word ‘Intersectionality’.” The Cut. The Cut, March 9, 2018. https://www.thecut.com/2018/03/a-brief-convoluted-history-of-the-word-intersectionality.html.
