One’s social location is influenced by many factors, including sexual orientation, age, skin color, race, caste, social economic class, gender, geographic location and culture. In addition, changing economy, industrialization and globalization have gone a far way to decide social locations of populations in different ways. Intersectionality is a standard model, a typical approach to cultural studies, social sciences and sociology that is used by activists and social workers to enhancing understanding of the different forms of oppression and how they interrelate. According to Associations for Women’s Rights in Development (2), people live in a community from which they can be favored or oppressed in equal measures. For instance, a white or indigenous woman in one area will be treated differently with a black woman in the same area.
As a hypothetical approach, intersectionality provides us with opportunity to comprehend oppression, human rights and privileges in a worldwide context. It assists us to know and identify the influence of joint forms of discrimination on access to privileges and opportunities. Thus it is like a focal length that sees the way policies, programs, laws and services affect peoples’ lives and the manner in which they are linked. As suggested in Associations for Women’s Rights in Development (3), a number of female domestic workers are sexually abused by their employers. Thus it is true that the intersection of the workers characteristics-whether foreign citizen, alien, poor or female that expose them to the circumstances of vulnerability. The interrelation of the laws, policies and programs like citizenship laws and employment policies enhance and sustain this vulnerability. Since these laws do not address the specific issues of these workers, I concur with the author that they prevent women from enjoying their rights.
The assumption that what we think affect what we do and the way we do it is very subjective. Though his argument that, intersectionality is an important approach for relating the grounds of discrimination. This is not illustrated because it is not clear how legal, political, economic and social environment interrelate to add to the vices of tyranny, privilege and prejudice.
Questions
Which group is the most discriminated?
What policies would stop discrimination of the above group?
What activities would address the needs of the above group?
Important Terms
Intersectionality, Discrimination, Human rights and Privileges
Works Cited
Associations for Women’s Rights in Development. 2004. Womens Right and Economic Change: Intersectionality, a Tool For Gender And Economic Justice. Issue no 9.
