Intersectionality

To be honest, I'm not quite sure what I identify as fully.

I am an intersectional feminist because I feel like we can't disassemble patriarchy without looking at all different kinds of women it affects. For example, I am a white, female, and educated. Being white and educated is a privilege, being female means I am oppressed.

However, where I am still looking for myself, in a sense, is with my gender identity and sexuality. While I am attracted to all gender identities (yay pansexuality), my sexual and romantic preferences are very fluid, to the point where for weeks at a time I am either gynesexual, skeliosexual, or androsexual, without much interest in the other two. And I am also "struggling" to find myself in a gender identity way. I am not traditionally feminine, and I am not super interested in traditionally feminine behaviors, but I don't know if I feel like I'm genderqueer. Honestly, I just say I'm female. I'm not a girl. I'm not genderqueer. I'm not a boy. I'm just me. Taking from Judith Butler, gender doesn't exist until it is performed, and I do not do actions with the intent of it being of a specific gender. To be even more honest, I don't feel like I need to know exactly what gender and sexuality I am. I am comfortable without the label, and so I really don't try to attach myself to one. I still find labels to be very limiting and so I cannot answer a lot about myself using one. I usually just use the word "queer" to define my identity and sexuality concisely to others.

My identities intersect because my personhood does not consist of one identity. How could it? I am female, white, educated, able-bodied, and queer. All of those identities come with their own baggage or privileges. All of these identities are valued or dismissed by our society and kyriarchy/patriarchy. Just as I cannot separate my identities from myself, we cannot separate these issues from one another in the system of domination in our culture.

On my index card, I wrote that I am privileged because I am white. I was privileged because:
1. I can move houses and acquire a mortgage or loan without fear that I will be given an unfair rate or turned down due to my skin color.
2. I can click to any program on television, and my skin color will be represented.
3. I will not be followed around a store or be suspected of shoplifting due to my skin color.
Peggy McIntosh's article resonated with me because I had trouble articulating and understanding what my privileges were in regards to race. This article's list really helped me understand how privileged I am.

I wrote for oppressed that I am female. Admittedly, this section was easier to fill for me than the privileged side. I wrote:
1. I fear walking alone at night, especially in crowded areas.
2. Men who are hitting on me listen to "I am engaged" rather than "I am not interested."
3. I must shave or else I am disgusting.
4. The pay gap.
5. More likely to be raped than any other gender.
6. Being in charge makes me a bitch boss, rather than a boss bitch. Or you know, just a regular manager. But hey, bitch is fine too.
7. My short skirt apparently consents for me.
I love being female, but I certainly don't love all the baggage that comes with it. When people ask me why I am a feminist, I can run through all the reasons and ways I am oppressed. But at the same time, I come from a privileged experience, because I was taught these concepts at college. Being educated is a privilege, but I intend on using this privilege to help others learn what I know. My role as a public educator is one way I do plan on keeping my privilege in check.