1
Nassar
Elina Nassar
Dr. Bloom
SOC 355 A
November 28, 2018
To revise this essay, I literally started over! Everything is different, all sections of the prompt are addressed, length is met, etc.
The Importance of Intersectional Feminism:
Healthcare Equality and Reproductive Freedom
Introduction
Intersectionality is a term and concept coined and articulated by Kimberle Crenshaw in the 1980s. The concept and idea of intersectionality brings forth a type of analysis that can be seen through almost all gender, women, and sexuality studies. Intersectionality allows social categorizations such as race, class, gender, sexuality, age, and abilities to become interconnected and applied to a given individual or group. Within intersectionality, these socially constructed categories are considered to be mutually constitutive. What this means is that one person can experience a number of these different parts of identity at the same time, often then seen to be creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination, disadvantage, and alienation. It is also argued that the meanings of these different aspects of identity are shaped by each other. Throughout many historical studies, anthropologists and sociologists have focused a great deal on the importance of intersectionality, specifically in regards to women and religion. A woman has many layers developed from culture and experiences, and looking at these aspects is essential for understanding feminism. Women have multiple aspects of identity, and feminism cannot be successful in the way that it is aimed to be when only addressing women’s inequality from a gender aspect without including race, class, religion, sexual orientation, and abilities. In regards to healthcare, women have faced disparities for as long as sociological and anthropological research has begun. Research, specifically women’s health research, focuses on producing knowledge that strives to make a change in the many factors that impact women’s health and their lives. Sex and gender have many health effects, and there must be increasing research done to understand this from a woman’s perspective. However, many women are not receiving the proper care that they need for reasons much more than just being a woman. These inequalities include race, class, education, and ableism. Intersectionality compares women against each other in hopes of equality, not only against men. While women in general may have less quality access to fair healthcare, various social factors increase the likelihood of improper healthcare. By taking an intersectional approach in fixing the unequal healthcare system, we can see the differences among groups and the numerous interacting social factors that affect the health status and quality of life of women, mainly focusing on their reproductive health and freedom.
Kimberle Crenshaw’s Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color, highlights and focuses on...
