Feel the difference: Experience intersectionality as a tool to transform privilege and oppression in the workplace and beyond CATHERINE BUTLER & CALVIN MALCOM

What is Intersectionality? An ‘intersectional approach’ is about seeing identities not as additions to the self to be stacked one on the other, but instead as complex collections of intersections that are mutually created in the context of prevailing social norms Crenshaw, 1991

Renteria (1993) Society rejects me for being Deaf The Deaf community rejects me for being a lesbian The Lesbian community rejects me for not being able to hear them The Deaf-Lesbian community rejects me for being into S&M The S&M community rejects me for being Deaf

Patricia Hill Collins (2000) Human lives cannot be reduced into single categories Patricia Hill Collins (2000) Nor should we use an ‘additive approach’, e.g. race + gender = double discrimination; someone is not oppressed twice, but oppression experienced from a substantively distinct viewpoint We’re socially constructed beings, shaped by the intersections of different part of our identity These intersections produce unique social locations / meanings that vary according to time and place

Intersectionality

Summer 2016 Ticket given to woman said she was not ‘wearing an outfit respecting good morals and secularism’ 34 year old mother of two. Onlookers were shouting “go home”, some applauded, Her daughter was crying.

Resistance in London

Resistance in Brighton

Exercise Think of a time that is meaningful to you in evoking strong emotion (good be good (e.g. sex) or bad (e.g. experience of oppression/sexism/racism/etc) In small groups of 3-4, decide who describes – could be 2 or 3. Audience each select a GRACE and listen through this lens Feedback to speaker what was heard JUST with that lens Is this possible? Why not?

Critique of single categories “constantly being encouraged to pluck out some aspect of myself and present this as the meaningful whole, eclipsing and denying the other parts of the self” Audre Lorde (2004)

Oppression from using single categories A single category approach expects a response from one or the other category and so the person becomes marginalised in both E.g. Racism experienced by men often defines the parameters of antiracist strategies, sexism experienced by white women grounded the UK woman’s movement The full dimensions of racism and sexism thus go unacknowledged Anti-racism will frequently reproduce the subordination of women Resistance strategies of feminism often replicate and reinforce the subordination of people of colour

Denial of lived experience Crenshaw (1991) wanted to research the rates of domestic violence by precinct in LA to investigate the picture of arrests by racial group. The statistics would not be released because: Feminists were concerned the statistics might permit opponents to dismiss DV as a minority problem Anti-racists were concerned the data might reinforce racial stereotypes of Black men being uncontrollably violent The political priorities of both were defined in ways that suppressed information that could have facilitated attempts to confront DV in communities of colour

People and power People are members of more than one community at the same time, and can simultaneously experience oppression and privilege An intersectional analysis aims to reveal multiple identities, and expose the different types of discrimination and disadvantage that occur as a consequence of the combination of identities, including: racism, patriarchy, class oppression, heterosexism, etc

It’s not about making sure that every oppression is named; it is actually about making sure every person is accounted for Youmna Chala, WILD for Human Rights

Transformation Intersectionally driven transformation… Moves beyond single identities and group-specific concerns Explores the intersectional connections and uniqueness of lived experience Enables a more effective and efficient response than a ‘one-size fits all’ approach for tackling persistent social inequalities “From curiosity to action”

So how do you do it in practice?!

Who are you as a therapist? What are your intersections? Which are often present in the therapy room, which are more silent or hidden? As above in supervision? As above with colleagues? What is unspoken? Why? What are the contextual oppressors that silence us? What shuts down our curiosity? What privileged positions do we hold that silence others?

Case discussion You start working with Mia, 35 year old white post-op trans woman She transitioned in 2010 but did not legally change her gender at the time because it would have dissolved her marriage Since then her relationship has broken down and she has legally changed her gender She has also had to change job because of bullying post-transition She presents with depression because she is not accepted as a woman in the way she hoped The next slides describe layers of context, Mia will be effected by each other them, come up with a story of what this would look like

Principles of Intersectionality Multilevel analysis - effects between and across various levels in society: MACRO – global + national institutions / policy MESO – regional institutions / policy MICRO – community and the individual

Personal – values, motivation, commitment Micro – roles and relationships Individual activities Meso – Institutional context Community groups Exo - Wider community Macro - Government policies and legislation Equalities Act, Human Rights Act

Return to Trans case In your small group, come up with a intersectional formulation about Mia’s depression How could Mia’s situation be transformed? From curiosity to action – what could we do?

Intersectionality in the therapy room Holding multiple identities in focus Check oneself for assumptions and preconceived knowledges Working collaboratively with clients so they define their unique experiences of oppression and privilege Being openly curious and questioning about these unique experiences Complexity in our formulations and discussions Let’s talk and learn from each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!

‘Ask the other question’… When you see something racist, ask ‘Where is the patriarchy in this?’ When you see something sexist, ask ‘Where is the heterosexism in this?’ When you see something that homophobic, ask ‘Where are the class interests in this?’ Matsuda, 1990

Reflections and questions What has been new today? What might you look into further? How do you plan to take these ideas forward? Final comments?