Why Is Intersectional Feminism Important?

In feminist theory intersectionality has become more and more important. It is understood that the oppression of women isn’t a singular process but a process in which multiple factors coincide. These factors include race, gender, class, sexuality, ability and religious beliefs. It would be naïve to assume that all women are persecuted the same way because of their gender or sex alone. Feminism simply cannot achieve its goals without being intersectional, if it excludes women of colour and other marginalised groups then feminism is just a movement that panders to certain perspectives and people over others which is exactly what it claims to combat.

In this essay I am going to outline why intersectional feminism is so important in today’s society
Out of these women the highest rate of people this impacts is every 5 in 10 multiracial women and 4 in 10 Hispanic, Black, American Indian Alaska Native whereas it impacts every 3.5 in 10 white women. The study also shows that a staggering 1 in 2 bisexual women have been raped in their life time whilst 1 in 6 heterosexual women have experienced it. This information by no means lessens the severity of any violence case, it does however prove that although all women are at risk of experiencing gendered violence, some women are at more of a risk because of other factors such as their sexuality or race, thus further outlining why intersectional feminism is so important. It is also important to note that the violence against transgender and people of colour is inordinately high. Findings from the 2011 NCAVP Hate Violence Report show that in 2011 Anti-LGBTQH murders were the highest they have ever been and that out of these murder victims 87% were people of colour. 45% of these recorded hate murders were transgender women which is staggering considering all of the people who come under the umbrella term of LGBTQH. NCAVP states, “These statistics indicate that bias based on gender identity, race, and the intersection of race and LGBTQH identity is pervasive throughout the United States.“ Even though these statistics are shocking and the amount of hate fuelled victims has risen the media didn’t pay any more attention to these cases, the report also states that “given that this data is in part based on media reports, it is unlikely this represents an increase of reporting among these groups.” The invisibility of the LGBTQH community and the people of colour is another reason