Being a sociology major I already had a brief understanding
of intersectionality, which states that all systems of oppression are
interconnected, but it was never fully discussed beyond gender, race, and religion.
Additionally, “gender” in these classes was defined as being male or female, so
I found it particularly beneficial to learn about intersectionality outside of our
binary system of gender.
I am a
white, cisgender, bi-sexual, female, and all of these aspects of my identity
impact and influence each other. Because I am a cis-gender female people don’t
ask me about my anatomical make-up and don’t question my feminity or
female-ness. I am also a bi-sexual female which leads people to assume that I
must be over-sexed and I am only sexually attracted to men and women.
Each
aspect of my identity determines the specific oppressions and privileges I will
experience. As like many others, I found it much easier to list my oppressions
based on my identity because I don’t usually think about the privileges in life
that I have, and the oppressions I experience are more clearly pronounced
making it easier to point them out. For example, because I am a woman I
automatically make less than a man who performs the same job duities, my dress
can be used as justification for rape, I am not in complete control of my
reproductive rights, and if I have a bad day it is assumed to be because I am a
women and I must be on my period. I am cisgender meaning that I can blend in
and not be ridiculed for my gender expression, people don’t ask me for my
birthname, my identity is not considered a pathology, and my identity is not a
justification for murder. The oppressions I experience are easier for me to point
out because I am used to focusing on the ways in which I am disadvantaged, and
turning that focus to my privileges is something I wasn’t used to, but once I
did it opened my eyes to how much I ignored the privileges I have that can be
the oppression's of another individual.
Renee Willett
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