This web is useful when analyzing your personal interconnecting web.
We can use intersectionality as a tool to view how our social identities interact and intersect. For instance, I can use it to analyze my female gender and how it relates to a male dominated society. Specifically, this use of intersectionality theory viewpoint from individual level, can be applied to my role as a female in a male dominated work place. I represent roughly 15-25% of the females that work in scientific based work environment. We are underrepresented and stereotyped. I grew up as a natural born, white citizen, I never felt oppressed or noticed oppression until I chose a profession that was dominated by men. This shows intersectionality because in some qualities I am privileged, and in others I am oppressed. This idea relates to Dorothy Allison’s analysis on classes in America because on a global level. I have the right to drive a car, have an education, and the right to choose my own career. There are women all over the world who currently don’t get to do any of this… For example, in 2018, Saudi women were given the right to drive a without a man’s permission.
Saudi Women’s Rights- The things Women still can’t do.
Rachel Carson,marine biologist and environmentalist, was oppressed by men throughout her career, but she inspires many women because she didn’t let this get in her way! She is responsible for the total ban on the pesticide chemical, DDT, which had severe negative environmental impacts. DDT was responsible for the decline of many birds of prey, including the Bald Eagle. When birds with a bioaccumulation of DDT sat in their nest for incubation, they would accidently crack the egg because the shell was weakened by the DDT chemicals. I admire that Carson didn’t let the rich, patriarchal chemical companies intimidate her. Thanks to her scientific work and activism, she put a stop to the environmental degradation caused by pesticides.
This beautiful graph shows the increase in breeding pairs after DDT was banned.
Your description in the beginning of your privilege and oppression is a great reflection of how important intersectionality is. Women all over the world have less available to them and are at most affected by the environmental choices made without them by a higher predominantly ruled patriarchal society. What path did you choose as a career? Have you noticed your own power in noticing this dominating force a male world? I also have such a strong view of my oppression and white privileged self. I’ve been sharing this with my patrons at work which is heavily dominated by women on one side and men on the other. It’s scary. It’s scary to me to start seeing the micro aggressions on the women I work with. We have a body positive reinforcement because we noticed that women who whereheavier were being discriminated against and we are learning how to combat this and empower one another. How are you going to bring intersectionality into your practice? The piece with the bald eagles is amongst the varying degrees in which we forget how destructive new pesticides can truly da,age life around us and withouttheviews of women and determination of helping the environment what would this world be like? I’m so happy the population of Bald eagles is safer for now.
Hi Holly,
I really enjoyed how you specifically referenced in which ways you are privileged and which ways you are dominated. That’s such an important thing for each one of us to understand about ourselves. I also enjoyed that you featured Rachel Carson. I didn’t know her story, but more people should. Hearing success stories of people we can relate to empowers us to work towards and achieve success in our lives as well. By now, there are definitely many potentially inspiring and influential women, if only we knew their stories. Great post!
Erica
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