Social categorization of race, class, and gender which apply to a particular group of people or a given individual are responsible for creating overlapping systems of discrimination in the society. Intersectionality establishes the process of individual identity. Individual identity comprises of beliefs, personality, qualities, or looks that make a person (self-identity). A person’s identity, therefore, refers to how an individual translates aspects of ethnicity, race, gender, and religion and how such elements construe to a person's past, present or future. Identity dictates life choices a person makes. Choices relating to career or relationships reflect a person's values. Though categories of identity are responsible for giving a basis of defining a person, few people choose their identities. Most people internalize identities of their dominant cultures or those of their parents which are not aligned to one's authentic self (Warner, & Shields, 2013). Such internalized identities include values such as materialism, power, and appearance which end up making a person lead an unfulfilling life. People who are in a position to choose their identities can live a life true to their values and pursue meaningful goals. It is possible for a person to hold multiple identities such as a teacher, parent or friend but lack of coherent sense of identity creates a state of uncertainty on what one wants to do in life. It is arguably not a secret that categories of identity such a gender (being a female) and race (being white) intersect to not only to shape one's life experiences but also the experiences of others.
Identity may be acquired indirectly from family or parents, but it involves matching one's self-potential with the available social role. Defining oneself with a social world may lead to identity struggle or crisis. Identity crisis results when a person is uncertain about feelings oneself (Babbitt, 2013). Being a white girl has caused a lot of challenges in my everyday life, especially in my relationship with those who surround me. Society has developed stereotypic thinking that being white makes a person superior and elevates an individual to a given social class (Carbado, 2013). I believe such thinking has contributed to social injustices that have plagued our nation for decades. According to Carbado (2013), to be successful either in academics or the workplace for a white girl as being associated with being privileged because of race difference. It is hard to convince my peers belonging to different races that my achieved success is as a result of individual hard work. I believe as a white girl; there is no need to get an approval from at my audience to define who I am. A person's identity is never final as it continues to develop through a person’s lifespan. It has become unnatural, unyielding, and exhausting to misrepresent myself out-of-character to impress an audience.
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The belief that white women are better than women of color is self-limiting, and I refuse to identify myself with such belief. Such ideas and value systems are false and were hardwired into our minds by others for us to follow (Warner, & Shields, 2013) . All women face inequalities both in the workplace and in leadership positions. Our beliefs and value system as women must change if we want to attain future collective goals. A speech, “Ain’t I a Woman,” delivered by Sojourner Truth in the nineteenth century was meant to liberate all women from chains of inequality and oppression. Every individual, including women of different races and color, must be recognized by multidimensionality of lived experiences (Babbitt, 2013). Distinctive human social identities of gender and race interplay simultaneously in unique ways. As a white girl, I believe that embracing the fact that white women are better than women of color constitute to uneven power distribution in the society which in turn disenfranchises all female voices (Carbado, 2013). An intersection of female gender roles and race will help in dismantling infrastructures supporting inequality and elevated the status of all women.
Women of color and white women in America simultaneously face bias along intersectionalities of social identity. Social psychologists argue that politics of intersectionality is a resemblance of a score-keeping contest between battle-weary warriors. The warriors have deeper battle scars in a game of one-upmanship. I have occupied some leadership roles as a white woman and witnessed firsthand how white female are negatively described when being tough in their jobs. A fierce white lady in leadership role gets knocked because they are expected by the society to be warm and caring. All women, be it, Black women or White women, need to be treated fairly like their male counterparts. Truth's speech illustrated that biblically, women are capable of achieving great deals. Men, who argue that women should make less by quoting the bible that Jesus was male, are ridiculous and have a skewed logic (Carbado, 2013). God depended on Mary (a woman) to bring Jesus into the world. Combined forces of determined women will ensure equality for all.
To shape present and future experiences as women, there is need to embrace the principle of intersectionality. Through intersectionality, our mutual personal identities would co-exist and change the way we think of social problems relating to female gender and race (white woman or woman of color)as asserted by Babbitt (2013). Discrimination against women overlaps, and we cannot fight the good fight by looking at a small percentage of women belonging to a particular demographic. Sexism and racism are distinct evils working in tandem and leads to exponential oppression of women.
References
Babbitt, L. G. (2013). An intersectional approach to Black/White interracial interactions: The roles of gender and sexual orientation. Sex Roles , 68 (11-12), 791-802.
Carbado, D. W. (2013). Colorblind intersectionality. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society , 38 (4), 811-845.
Warner, L. R., & Shields, S. A. (2013). The intersections of sexuality, gender, and race: Identity research at the crossroads. Sex Roles , 68 (11-12), 803-810.
