Title: Intersectionality – Subcultures and Sociology
Headings: Subcultures and Sociology
Subcultures and Sociology
What is Intersectionality?
Intersectionality in History
Afro-Punk: Race, Gender, and Sexuality
Hip Hop: Race and Gender
Fan Culture: Gender and Sexuality
Gamers: Race and Gender
Bronies: Age and Gender
What Can We Learn from Intersectionality?

Content: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color,” Crenshaw discusses the invisibility of the identities and oppression of black women within both the feminist movement, which devalued their black identity, and the civil rights movement, which devalued their female identity ( Crenshaw 1993: 1242). Moreover, homophobia and transphobia have played a part in marginalizing queer individuals in several historical social movements ( Smith 1983: 83-84, 190-201). Audre Lorde recognized not only the power of women, but also of different races, abilities, and other marginalized identites. Black feminists, queers, and working-class individuals combatted the lack of intersectional perspective within society by creating their own spaces to organize ( Giddings 1984 ). Audre Lorde, for example, created an alternative feminist perspective that she called “womanist,” in which she encouraged followers to consider race, class, gender, disability, sexuality, and more in their social movements and critical analysis of societal issues ( Lorde 1984 ). Furthermore, activists like Barbara Smith started organizations, such as the Combahee River Collective, which is “committed to struggling against racial, sexual, heterosexual, and class oppression” ( Combahee River Collective ). Of course, there are many more historical examples of intersectional ignorance, oppression, and resistance, but it is useful to consider contemporary examples as well. Although many social scientists recognize intersectionality as an important step in the history of social movements, theorists have developed different, and sometimes conflicting, interpretations of the role of intersectionality in society.