intersectionality

[ in-ter-sek-shuh-nal-i-tee ]

noun

1. Also called intersectionality theory;. the theory that the overlap of various social identities, as race, gender, sexuality, and class, contributes to the specific type of systemic oppression and discrimination experienced by an individual (often used attributively):

   Her paper uses a queer intersectionality approach.

2. the oppression and discrimination resulting from the overlap of an individual’s various social identities:

   the intersectionality experienced by Black women.

Word History and Origins

Origin of intersectionality¹

Coined in 1989 by U.S. legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw (born 1959); intersectional ( def ) + -ity ( def )

Example Sentences

Entire organizations miss out on opportunities to build more inclusive and resilient businesses when they fail to account for intersectionality.

From Fortune

As a result, all tech teams can and should aspire to build fair, intersectional AI models, because intersectionality is the key to fostering inclusive communities and building tools that serve people from all backgrounds more effectively.

From TechCrunch

Before tackling the tough questions, it’s important to take a step back and define “intersectionality.”

From TechCrunch

From there, there are strategies every organization, startup and enterprise can apply to weave intersectionality into every phase of AI development — from training to evaluation to feedback.

From TechCrunch

You can start at home by educating yourself and then talking to children about intersectionality and demographics other than their own.

From Washington Post

She also made marginalizing comments about transgender people and intersectionality as a whole.

From The Daily Beast

Countless users tweeted about prejudice, intersectionality, and police discrimination.

From The Daily Beast