Intersectional feminism; as soon as we hear this term, the same thought crosses all our minds, what is the need to complicate an already misunderstood ideology? Isn’t feminism enough? Doesn’t it already encompass the issues of women from marginalized communities?
But every ideology arises from a particular context, and intersectional feminism had its roots in the racial discrimination experienced by women of color in the second and third wave of feminism. In both the movements, women of color were excluded from the mainstream, and the issues were centered on the needs of middle-class white women. Thus, Black women felt they needed another ideology that acknowledged and addressed their concerns, about how women of color faced layers of discrimination that overlap and intersect.
Kimberlé Crenshaw, an American law professor, coined the term ‘Intersectional feminism’ in 1989. She defined it as a prism for seeing how various forms of inequality often operate together and exacerbate each other. In simpler terms, intersectional feminism shows the way people’s social identities such as race, gender, class, religion, and caste can overlap, creating compounding experiences of discrimination.
 By adding the idea of intersectionality to feminism, the movement becomes truly inclusive and allows women of all races, economic standings, religions, identities, and orientations for their voices to be heard.
I was interested in this topic because it seemed elusive and confused most people. I’d seen some of my friends use this term on their social media profiles, but when I asked them about it, they couldn’t offer me an adequate response. Hence, I decided to do some research on my own. By researching this topic, I understood the historical significance of the feminist movement, and how gradually the movement became more inclusive and branched out into what we today know as intersectional feminism. I feel the evolution of the feminist movement into intersectional feminism was necessary, as it is more inclusive and wholesome. However, feminists need to better communicate their ideas to eradicate misconceptions that the general masses have.
Sources
·       Image from- https://feminisminindia.com/2018/11/23/intersectional-feminism/
·       https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2020/6/explainer-intersectional-feminism-what-it-means-and-why-it-matters
·       https://feminisminindia.com/2017/02/13/indian-intersectional-feminism-101/