Narrative, framing, and the urgency of intersectionality

This talk from 2016 is on the genesis of intersectionality. Crenshaw reflects on the importance of conceptual frames to understand the stuff that happens in our lives. Communications experts, “tell us that when facts do not fit with the available frames, people have a difficult time incorporating new facts into their way of thinking about a problem.” It’s fascinating to see this play out in legal and policy contexts.

#SayHerName: There’s a moving roll call at the end to the women who have been killed by police: Natasha McKenna, Alexia Christian, Shelly Frey, Kayla Moore, Michelle Cusseaux, Tanisha Anderson, Rekia Boyd, Aiyanna Stanley Jones, Shantel Davis, Aura Rosser, Gabriella Nevarez, India Kager, Kendra James, Kyam Livingston, Alesia Thomas, Meagan Hockaday, Miriam Carey, Pearlie Golden, Yvette Smith, Kisha Michael, India Beaty, Symone Marshall, Jessica Williams, Korryn Gaines, Deborah Danner…

Now more than ever, it’s important to look boldly at the reality of race and gender bias — and understand how the two can combine to create even more harm. Kimberlé Crenshaw uses the term “intersectionality” to describe this phenomenon; as she says, if you’re standing in the path of multiple forms of exclusion, you’re likely to get hit by both. In this moving talk, she calls on us to bear witness to this reality and speak up for victims of prejudice.

TED 2016