Moreover, we must equip our students and ourselves with the ability to perform intersectional analyses.
If more individuals were equipped with the knowledge of how to do an intersectional analysis, there would be more eyes on the lookout for these barriers. More people would be aware of the problems it causes for other individuals who fall in those categories.
In this diminished vision of intersectionality, institutional approaches to diversity are reduced simply to increasing the numbers of “different” bodies on campus, resulting in policies and practices that fall short of what is needed.
I feel like GVSU has been a part of this partially. This school advertises itself as a diverse school when it's not. It also provides programs and services based on specific characteristics such as race, sexuality, etc. Although, the services do provide assistance to those who desire it.
Not only does this dynamic result in underreporting and lack of assistance, but it can also sideline issues of domestic violence and sexism more generally within civil rights agendas and other antiracist organizing efforts.
It's difficult to try and be the change when the system is plotted against an individual. There are so many sections of the system that needs to be revised and be able to identify and problem solve these issues.
The confluence of these structural barriers acted to further subjugate women already vulnerable to racism, sexism, and classism while increasing the privileges (male, national, and, in some cases, racial or class-based) of abusive husbands who were enabled by official policy and practice to maintain legal, cultural, and social control over their wives
With this example of "structural intersectionality," it makes immigrant women susceptible to these dangers and creates barriers so the women aren't able to escape or have 'an exit.'
[Note: writing Deaf with a capital D separates people who can't hear from people who consider deafness a major part of their cultural and political identity.]
Another thing I learned reading this article. The difference between Deaf and deaf people. Very eye-opening and happy I learned the difference.
Most go through extensive therapy to cope with their newly-altered perspective on life. Some no longer feel welcome in the Deaf community or choose to leave it. Some have trouble relating to old friends.
After reading this article, I'm so surprised how people outside of the deaf community view them as a disability but in reality, deaf people don't look at themselves as people who are disabled. Instead, they appreciate that they are deaf and learn to live with it. Clinicians think that disabled people need solutions to their disabilities but why don't we understand that some people are happy with being disabled. "Fixing their disability" may be doing the individual a disservice than actually helping them.