Nuances of Intersectionality and their Impact on Inclusion and Support for Black Women

Abstract

The term "intersectionality" describes the various identities that make each of us distinct as well as the power, privilege, and/or oppression that come with the mingling of those identities. Managing the effect of circumstantial, life-changing elements such as grief, illness, disability, or trauma is difficult because they are frequently invisible and unacknowledged, often absent at birth, and represent a shift from previous intersectionality recognition. Black women often experience marginalization based on gender and racialized identities and are positioned to consistently navigate stereotypes based on their phenotypical features and external perceptions. When Black women experience a juncture of stress or crisis and face intersectional identity change, they are increasingly vulnerable, making the role of those providing personal or professional support more significant. As a result, intersectionality is not static, providing opportunities to be defined and redefined throughout the life cycle. This article explores the author’s experience with navigating invisible intersectionality factors, erroneous judgments by others and discovering her own resilience in the process. The author considers the binary of activism and respectful distance as responses to social problems, offering connection as a strategy to enhance human rights within the Black community. Personal and professional strategies are provided to promote recovery and healing, utilizing an auto ethnography qualitative research method.