Embracing Intersectionality: A Blueprint for Inclusive Politics

Intersectional identities are those existing at a convergence point of multiple marginalized demographics. (Runyan, 2018) For example, a woman of color, a non-binary person with disabilities, or a fat, homosexual person would all face social marginalization for more than just one of their identities. Where these sorts of identities often leave individuals disregarded or overlooked, particularly in a social justice sense, intersectional identities are the most valuable to our growth as a society and should only ever be respected and treated as such. It can feel awkward and uncouth to strip people down to their features and identities like this, but it is because of these features and identities that diverse individuals gain their invaluable, diverse perspectives on how society can improve and become more inclusive, accepting, and accessible, which is the ultimate goal.

The Essence of Intersectionality

In the most basic sense, intersectionality refers to the multi-faceted nature of human identity. (Crenshaw, 2016; Runyan, 2018) It acknowledges that one person can embody multiple different identities simultaneously, each influenced by social and political actors. (Runyan, 2018) For instance, a woman of color may face marginalization for being a woman, and she may for being a person of color, but applying both of these forces to a single person results in a set of experiences distinct from those experienced by either white women or men of color. Similarly, a non-binary person with disabilities confronts a distinct set of barriers that cannot be fully understood when analyzed through the lens of ability and the lens of gender. It must be through a third, unique lens that their experiences would need to be analyzed and, subsequently, better understood. A fat person who is also gay is the same: it is important to consider how the convergence of being fat and gay would affect a person’s experiences in a way that solely being one or the other wouldn’t.

Intersectional identities disrupt the notion of a single, generalized experience with marginalization for each identity: the idea that all gay people face homophobia like this, all immigrants experience xenophobia in this way, all women experience sexism as this. (Runyan, 2018) Intersectional identities can serve to remind us that oppression is not one-size-fits-all, but we as a society have to listen. We need to avoid assuming, too, that all marginalized identities intersect in the same way, and really learn from the existence of intersectionality that every human experience is different and a just society should be pursuing equity for everyone regardless of their identity. Failure to acknowledge the complexity associated with intersectionality in all human issues perpetuates systemic inequalities and erases the lived experiences of so many people.

In a study published in 2011 analyzing the effect that electoral quotas have on the election of minority women (women who satisfied criteria for another minority quota, such as a race quota), it was found that minority women: those with intersectional identities were repeatedly the least likely to be elected except in cases where the gender and minority quotas are both applied at the same legislative level, in tandem. (Hughes, 2011) Intersectional women were the least likely to be elected in no quota systems, when gender quotas were applied on the national or party levels, in minority quota systems, and in systems with quotas applied at both the party and national levels, but not at the same. (Hughes, 2011) In fact, throughout the entire study the only time minority women were actually more likely to be elected was when compared to majority women in tandem systems where gender and minority quotas were enforced at the same level. (Hughes, 2011)

In 2014, the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), as part of their Quota Report Series, reported that despite instances of ‘quota fever’ globally, European countries had largely avoided the adoption of national gender quotas. (IDEA, 2014, p. 14) This makes the above graph more chilling in a personal sense, because areas with party gender quotas only, what the majority of European countries with quotas had, minority women’s likelihood of election is staggeringly low compared to their majority and minority counterparts. (International IDEA, 2013, pp. 203–218; Hughes, 2011)

Since 2013, when IDEA’s Atlas of Electoral Gender Quotas was published, 7 European nations have legislated gender quotas nationally, but as discussed, this is only true progress for minority women and other intersectional individuals if these are legislated in tandem with other minority quotas. (International IDEA, 2013, pp. 203–218; International IDEA, 2024)

Brief note: the term “minority” used in the above section is not the most accurate language to use when referring to marginalized identities. I used it for the sake of consistency with IDEA’s published materials, but it is more appropriate and accurate to use “marginalized,” which is my preference and is used otherwise throughout this blog.

The Importance of Diversity and Intersectionality

Diversity is a crucial ingredient in the creation of policies that nurture social growth and development. When individuals with varied perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds are brought into the decision-making process, there is an abundance of creativity and innovation as the variety of individuals approach problems from different angles, leading to more robust, well-rounded, and effective solutions. Embracing diversity promotes community and interpersonal respect. It helps break down stereotypes and prejudices in favor of actual experiences, leading to a more inclusive society where everyone feels valued and respected. It encourages personal growth and results in more worldly, informed individuals with a broader and more accurate understanding of the world around them. This is better to ensure competency on a global stage, as well, which is necessary for creating national policy in a modern country.

In her 2016 TEDTalk, Kimberlé Crenshaw explores the real world, everyday consequences of an intersectional identity in a system not equipped to handle the convergence of multiple marginalized identities. The idea that, what really should be seen as “injustice squared,” as Crenshaw puts it, could actually cancel itself out and prevent justice is reprehensible. (Crenshaw, 2016)

Intersectional identities are, by definition, the most diverse, as they include a variety of often underrepresented identities in one person. To create a truly diverse panel of individuals, it is necessary to ensure that there is representation of the unique experiences associated with different intersectional identities by including an intersectional group of people. To create a truly competent and effective nation, the views and experiences of intersectional individuals must be understood and accounted for.

Sources

Crenshaw, K. (2016) ‘The urgency of intersectionality’, TED. Available at: https://www.ted.com/talks/kimberle_crenshaw_the_urgency_of_intersectionality (Accessed: 20 March 2024).

Hughes, M.M. (2011) ‘Intersectionality, Quotas, and Minority Women’s Political Representation Worldwide’, American Political Science Review, 105(3), pp. 604–620. doi:10.1017/S0003055411000293.

International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. (2005) ‘Quota Systems: An Overview of Global Trends and Regional Analysis’ in Ballington, J. and Blinda, F. (eds.) The Implementation of Quotas: European ExperiencesI. Stockholm: International IDEA, pp. 14–31.

International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. (2024) Gender Quotas Database. Available at: https://www.idea.int/data-tools/data/gender-quotas-database/database (Accessed: 20 March 2024).

International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, Inter-Parliamentary Union, and Stockholm University. (2013) ‘Annexes’, in Atlas of Electoral Gender Quotas. Stockholm: International IDEA, pp. 203–224.

Runyan, A.S. (2018) ‘What Is Intersectionality and Why Is It Important?’, Academe, 104(6), pp. 10-14.