An intersectional lens for change

The more time that passes after my semester in Salvador, Brazil, the more I realize the impact of my experiences there have had on me and the way in which I interact with the world around me. I often find myself thinking back to conversations, observations and moments of joy and challenge during that semester for answers in my daily life now. Salvador was my classroom—whether it was learning how to navigate a new place alone or enhancing my understanding of how the intersection of race, gender and religion relate to power and privilege. Defining and learning about the application of intersectionality has made me more aware of how using an intersectional lens to understand how individuals grapple with their multiple identifiers that make them who they are. This lens is becoming increasingly more important in the fight towards equality, justice and rights for all on Duke’s campus and beyond

So what does intersectionality mean? This buzzword is one you might have heard around but may not have thought was relevant to your life in part because its definition varies with context. It can mean something to everyone depending on the individual’s experiences and identities. But make no mistake; intersectionality is relevant to us all and an important concept to understand when working in any kind of social justice space. Kimberle Crenshaw first coined the term “intersectionality” as a critique of “white feminism” to describe the way in which women experience oppression in varying configurations. Today, the definition has broadened to incorporate the ways in which people’s multiple identities affect who they are and the challenges they face.

When I first began to hear the word used on campus, I struggled to define what intersectionality meant for me and how it could be a powerful tool. Perhaps ironically, it was not until I left Duke’s campus and went on my semester abroad in Brazil that I saw how intersectionality plays out (or doesn’t play out) on our campus. Most importantly, how it can be used for effective change.

Brazil, and especially the city of Salvador, has among the most racially mixed population of any country in the world. In fact, it is a cornerstone of national identity. Much less discussed, but equally visible—in every restaurant full of white customers and black waiters, in every high rise where the black doorman points a black visitor toward the service elevator or the back door and on every street, office, and school where machismo prevents woman from reaching the top—is the pervasive racial, gender and socio-economic inequality. It is almost impossible to tackle social injustices in Brazil separately.

Racism in particular is every bit as powerful a force in Brazil, as it is a U.S and can be seen in both overt and subtle ways. This is exemplified through various aspects of Brazilian society and culture. According to a recent NY Times article, like in the U.S. , there is a disproportionately large number of young black men in prison and facing violence on a daily basis. It is also made clear by the astonishing number of places offering Brazilian blowouts to straighten natural hair I observed to keep up with the demand of a population seeking to adhere to beauty ideals associated with white “whiteness.” Then, there is the plain fact that according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, black Brazilians, including my host mom, choose not to categorize themselves as black. Being black and female intensifies the discrimination one faces in Brazil. We see the same sexism and racism in the U.S. in both subtle in overt ways. In fact, we see it, often in the form of micro-aggressions, right here on our own campus. Stepping away for a semester and observing these “-isms” in a new context made me more aware of its presence on campus and my own role in perpetuating them.

Although progress towards racial, religious and gender equality has been slow in Brazil, it is unified. During my semester, it became clear that these movements are happening simultaneously and gaining momentum from each other. Despite its various definitions, I have come to view intersectionality as a lens that allows us to think about systematic oppression in a broad context and emphasizes individual experiences in an effort to understand privilege and power. One Afro-Brazilian woman I spoke to told me that “some things—like race and gender—cannot be separated.” Many of the women I met in activist circles in Brazil came into their political consciousness because of the intersectionality of race, class, and gender and more specifically because of their experiences as black females, often of lower economic-status and marginalized religions. All oppression is connected. Thus, in order to create the change we want to see in this word, we must work together to address them.

I see the need for this kind of intersectional approach to social change, especially on college campuses. There are many groups around us working to tackle these issues on campus and community level with the common goal of making the world a more just place. Yet, these groups work separately on issues that are actually all related. If Black Students Alliance, for example, joined forces with groups working for rights in the LGBTQ community and in organizations such as Baldwin Scholars Program, then we harness the power and resources to bring about justice for all of these social issues. It starts with conversations—ones that are beginning to happen—and give me hope that we are turning a new corner in breaking the cycle of oppression.

Sofia Stafford is a Trinity junior. Her column runs on alternate Wednesdays.