Week 4- intersectionality map and writing

Intersectionality map:

Image sources at the end of the post.

Written interpretation of intersectionality:

I am still relatively new to the word “Intersectionality”. It took me a long time to just get a little understanding of the word, and from so many definitions, what makes me feel the easiest to understand is a quote from Kimberlé Crenshaw, a legal scholar and civil-rights activist who founded the African American Policy Forum at Columbia University. She wrote: “imagine that traffic flows through it from all four directions. Imagine being a person standing in the middle of that intersection. Danger can hit you from any side.” Thus, according to my understanding, intersectionality is not just about one thing nor one perspective, but the term is about so many different aspects overlapping with each other. From the last lecture, the term was defined as what we call our “identities” are made up of multiple, interconnected subject positions.

An examination of the role that different subject positions play in your own dress practice.

The six subject positions I picked for my intersectionality map are places, language, age, education, nationality, and gender.

1.Places:

I was raised in Hangzhou, China, and as I recall, my entire life was very much taken care of by my family. When I was at age 14, I decided that I want to see a bigger world, therefore, I packed my stuff and came to California alone to start my second learning career. Life suddenly became so much harder than I thought it would be. I have to clean up my own room, arrange my time thoughtfully, cook my own meal, and basically, I have to do everything by myself which I would never do when I was with my family. Even though I have so much regret of coming alone and hated my life at that moment, I do thank those times because it pushed me to become more mature and independent. After four years of High school in California, I moved again to New York for college and was warned by my cousin that New York would be a whole different experience which I didn’t believe at first place. Then there comes the noisy subway station, and huge snow during winter. Coming from California, I did not know how to dress correctly and at the same time being fashionable. After experiencing a winter season, I think I have a general idea of how to keep myself warm while dressing the way I want. So again, if I didn’t come to the US, I would never learn how to be independent so quickly, and if I didn’t come to New York, I would never become a New Yorker, connecting places and education subject positions.

2. Language:

When I left my family, my English was like a newborn baby level, even the daily conversation was difficult to me, and I was terrified of speaking to others because I was afraid to make any mistakes. In order to get rid off my fear and be able to make friends, I was consistently practicing my English in front of a mirror and imagine I was talking to someone else. (may sound little creepy) Practices were helpful. During the second year, I became less afraid and was able to make friends at my classes. Again, If I did not come to the U.S., I would never learn English so fast, and If I didn’t learn English that well, I would not end up in Parsons, thus, connecting language, places, and education subject positions.

3.age :

Age definitely affects my perspective of seeing things. I have to admit that compare to the elders, I have fewer life experiences, thus, when I am making important decisions in my life, I still need to ask advice and permissions. In addition, age really affects the speed and quality at which you learn. I can still remember what the teacher taught me when I was in sixth grade, but I can forget what I learned last week, again, connecting age and education subject positions.

4. Education:

Receiving knowledge at so many different places has given me a deeper understanding of people and things. Being around a variety of people has also given me a greater tolerance and ability to see from different perspectives. Again, connecting places and education subject positions

5. Nationally:

This is my background and where I can from, and this is also something that I cannot choose. I consider this subject position directly defined who I am.

6. Gender

When I was little, I have always loved the color pink, purple, sky blue, anything that is light, and of course I dress those colors too, in other words, I dress extremely feminine. As I age, I started to become obsessed with black, gray, anything dark in color, and the way I dress started to become a more unisex style. Susan Kaiser in her writing has pointed out her perspective that gender is not just who we are but what we do or perform as we participate in a way with cultural discourses. I completely agree with that. The way we dress can not fully define who we are as gender-wise, in the same way, gender can not define what we should or should not dress.

source used:

Kory Stamper, MAR. 9, 2018. A Brief, Convoluted History of the Word ‘Intersectionality’. https://www.thecut.com/2018/03/a-brief-convoluted-history-of-the-word-intersectionality.html

Susan Kaiser – Chapter 2 – “Intersectional, Transnational Fashion Subjects” in Fashion and Cultural Studies

Image sources:

Gender: own sketch

Nationality: The Great Wall of China at sunrise. (Li Ding / Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Stock Photo. https://beta.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/11/21/chinas-great-wall-is-crumbling-now-architects-are-using-drones-save-it/

https://thejustist.wordpress.com/2015/02/18/chinese-new-year-celebrations-around-the-world/

Education:

http://www.accurateglobalreach.com/education/

http://cultureofchinese.com/traditions/crafts-performing-arts/erhu-chinese-musical-instrument/

https://www.assouline.com/products/the-impossible-collection-of-fashion

Age: