Intersectionality is a framework describing the ways in which the overlapping social identities of individuals relate to such structures as racism or oppression. When applied in conjunction with barrier theories, intersectionality allows for the understanding of the limitations that individuals of a particular race, class, gender, sexual identity, ethnicity, or disability experience in their access to various opportunities (Rice et al., 2019). For example, the interplay between intersectionality and barrier theories will suggest that a queer woman of color will experience barriers in personal, educational, or occupational attainment because of her social identity. Thus, applying the notion of intersectionality to barrier theories can provide a comprehensive understanding of the unique experiences of marginalized individuals.
Within its interplay with barrier theories, intersectionality makes a note of various systems of gender and racial oppression, which entail the unjust treatment or control of certain populations. Intersectionality allows connecting the social identities at work on different levels, which results in unique experiences, opportunities, and barriers. The oppression that takes place due to pressure placed on the identity, not its parts but the entire system as a whole. This means that oppression itself cannot be reduced to only one component of one’s identity, as each oppression shapes the other and depends on it. Understanding intersectionality is instrumental for dealing with the interwoven prejudices and barriers people face in their personal and professional life.
African American women represent a population group that is significantly affected by the barriers related to intersectionality. Specifically, some theories on perceived barriers have suggested that the challenges that the group experiences in personal, educational, or professional attainment are experienced by marginalized groups more than their counterparts that are not being oppressed (Fekedulegn, 2019). When considering the experiences of African American women, the marginalized group is discriminated against in ways that do not fit within the specific categories of either sexism or racism (Smith, 2016). Rather, it is the combination of racism and sexism as systematic oppression mechanisms that present significant barriers to their opportunities.
African American women can experience racist and sexist microaggressions in various settings, which, in turn, leads to the formation of counter-spaces used to respond to their marginalization in such settings. For instance, Hilson (2020) suggested that Black women cannot resolve domestic abuse encounters due to the oppressive structures of race, class, and gender. These barriers make it nearly impossible to negotiate the institutional limitations they face when attempting to secure themselves in positions of safety. Thus, survival for African American women depends on their ability to find places to describe their experiences within their groups, as the existing policies are not supportive of their safe spaces.
The barrier theories are critical for generating an understanding of the systematic disadvantages African American women experience as opposed to the advantages that their white counterparts experience. To address the barriers that prevent the groups from educational, professional, or personal attainment, it is imperative to recognize the fact that racism is endemic to life in America (Lee et al., 2019). It calls for recognizing the experiential knowledge of women of color in analyzing society. The implications for social change and improvement include the potential for enhancing equal opportunities for African American women seeking life opportunities, and policymakers must take the responsibility to eliminate structural barriers.
References
Hilson, K. (2020). The intersectionality of domestic abuse: Law enforcement barriers Black women face. CrimRxiv. Web.
Lee, R., Perez, A., Boykin, M., & Mendoza-Denton, R. (2019). On the prevalence of racial discrimination in the United States. PLOS One, 14(1), e0210698.
Fekedulegn, D., Alterman, T., Charles, L. E., Kershaw, K. N., Safford, M. M., Howard, V. J., & MacDonald, L. A. (2019). Prevalence of workplace discrimination and mistreatment in a national sample of older U.S. workers: The REGARDS cohort study.SSM – Population Health, 8, 100444.
Rice, C., Harrison, E., & Friedman, M. (2019). Doing justice to intersectionality in research. Cultural Studies – Critical Methodologies, 19(6), 409-420.
Smith, S. (2016). Black feminism and intersectionality. International Socialist Review, 103.