Posted on by Alan

Intersectionality and Planning

In Oregon and across the country, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color face discrimination, oppression, and harm. The widespread Black Lives Matter movement against racism and other forms of oppression has significance for each of us. Our actions or inactions have the power to either challenge oppression and bias, or to sustain it. As this is true in both our personal and professional lives, this pipeline is intended to help inspire conversations on these important topics.
Three Black and disabled folx (a non-binary person holding a cane, a woman sitting in a power wheelchair, and a woman sitting in a chair) partially smiling at the camera while a rainbow pride flag drapes on the wall behind them.
Photo attributed to Disabled And Here
For information on the Oregon Office of Developmental Disability Services’ position, read:
 

Photo Description: Three Black and disabled folx (a non-binary person holding a cane, a woman sitting in a power wheelchair, and a woman sitting in a chair) partially smiling at the camera while a rainbow pride flag drapes on the wall behind them.

Intersectionality

Intersectionality is not a new concept, even though it has come up more frequently in recent years. The term was coined by Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw and it is “the idea that we all experience life—sometimes discrimination, sometimes benefits—based on a number of different identities we have.” No one experiences the world through only one aspect of themselves. For example, this writer isn’t a woman OR an immigrant OR someone with anxiety – rather, this writer is a complex person with all three of these identities that impact her in different ways at various times. When we use intersectionality in our work, we consider each of someone’s identities, how they work together, and how that shapes their experience of the world.
 
For those with multiple marginalized identities, oppression and discrimination can be compound. Consider:
  • A transgender person may experience others denying their gender identity by not using their correct pronouns. If the person also has an intellectual disability, are others more likely to deny or disregard their gender identity?
  • How might a person who is using repetitive movements to meet a sensory need be perceived by law enforcement? How would that response change if that person is also Black or a Person of Color?
We cannot only consider someone’s disability identity without also considering the impacts of racial, economic, gender-based, and other oppressions on their life. For more information about intersectionality, check out the resources at the end of this article.

Combating Our Own Biases when Planning with Others

As we plan with people, it is critical that we value and honor all parts of a person’s identity, even if we don’t know or understand all of them. Planning is a process of continued listening, learning, and action. This includes doing the critical work of discovering and confronting our own biases and the harm they may cause to others. This can be challenging and uncomfortable, but it is necessary to acknowledge if we want the impact of our efforts to match our intent.

Keep Learning

These topics are not one-time conversations, and this Pipeline article is just a small piece of the work ahead. It is important to remember that we are all at different places on our learning journeys. People are the experts in their own experiences, so it is critical to listen to, learn from, and help amplify the voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
 
What is most important, is that we commit to learning, unlearning, and changing our actions.

Additional Resources