‘Intersectional feminism’. What the hell is it? (And why you should care)

By Ava Vidal

Today’s feminist movement is said to be in danger of losing momentum unless it recognises that not every feminist is white, middle class, cisgendered and able bodied. Cue intersectionality, writes Ava Vidal, who unpicks the latest f-buzzword that’s causing controversy.

Intersectionality is a term that was coined by American professor Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989. The concept already existed but she put a name to it. The textbook definition states:

“The view that women experience oppression in varying configurations and in varying degrees of intensity. Cultural patterns of oppression are not only interrelated, but are bound together and influenced by the intersectional systems of society. Examples of this include race, gender, class, ability, and ethnicity.”

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