today we hear the call for full equality
for women and distinctly for women of
color from a multiplicity of
perspectives intersectionality is a term
we often hear but what does it mean
kimberlé crenshaw who coined the term
in 1989 explains it with a metaphor
consider an intersection made up with
many roads the roads are the structures
of race gender gender identity class
sexuality disability and the traffic
running through those roads are the
practices and policies that discriminate
against people now if an accident
happens it can be caused by cars
traveling from any number of directions
and sometimes from all of them so if a
black woman is hard because she is in an
intersection her injury could result
from discrimination from any or all
directions
intersectionality in all discussions of
the rights of African American women
today is built on the work of previous
generations who have always been a part
of the fight for full equality
Sir John uh truth escaped slavery in
1827 and became one of the most powerful
women's rights activists of her time she
emphasized her identity as both African
American and woman and her famous ni a
woman's speech at the women's convention
in 1851 in 1893 Anna Julia Cooper
addressed the World Congress of
Representatives women saying the white
woman could at least plead for her own
emancipation the black woman doubly
enslaved club would suffer and struggle
and be silent they demanded recognition
of both the femaleness and blackness of
african-american women in the struggle
for political and social advancement in
1951 the surger nose for truth put a
call out to Negro women to convene in
Washington DC for Sir John for truth and
justice a hundred and thirty-two women
from 14 States responded
during the surge owners last eastern
seaboard conference they discussed the
organizational tenets of fighting
against triple' oppression facing
working-class black women of racism
sexism and classism their efforts were a
precursor to the black freedom activism
of the Black Power era and the black
feminist movement named for a raid led
by Harriet Tubman which freed more than
750 slaves the Combahee River collective
was founded in 1974 by a group of
self-identified queer black feminists
their embody River collective statement
was one of the earliest explorations of
the intersection of multiple oppressions
to include sexuality they stated our
politics initially sprang from shared
belief that black women are inherently
valuable the words and actions of these
leaders continue to contribute to
today's discussion around
intersectionality feminism and civil
rights that demand equality and
inclusion for all
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