Ain’t I A Woman? Exploring the Role of Intersectionality in Actualizing Gender Equity

Description

“Ain’t I a woman?”

Sojourner Truth’s poignant inquiry still resonates today. Her address underscored how her experience as a woman was largely influenced by her race, and challenged the inclusiveness of the women’s rights movement. A century later, legal scholar and activist Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term intersectionality to describe the interconnectedness of systems of oppression, and the role of intersecting marginalized identities in creating unique experiences for black women.

This concept is often in contrast to the one-dimensionality of most D&I efforts (“People of Color,” “Women in the Workplace”). In examining inclusion through a non-intersectional lens, we miss the opportunity to understand the complexities and nuanced experiences of women who belong to multiple marginalized identities.

This session will explore the concept of intersectionality and the how to address the increasing demand in the workplace to create a space for amplifying the experiences of women from different backgrounds and identities. This facilitated dialogue session will ultimately offer strategies for rising to the need for more inclusive approaches to fostering gender equity within society-at-large, and ways that all women can be reciprocal allies for each other.

Learning Outcomes:

• Broaden understanding of the theoretical concept of intersectionality.
• Provide a “safe space” and structured dialogue for women of various backgrounds to share their lived experiences of oppression and inequity.
• Co-create strategies for addressing broader social inequities through a more intersectional lens.