Intersectionality, coined by Kimberlé W. Crenshaw (https://www.notion.so/Kimberl-W-Crenshaw-12188d95c73780b7965acfa69d699b06?pvs=21), is a framework that examines how multiple social identities (e.g., race, gender, class) intersect to shape an individual’s experiences of oppression or privilege, especially in marginalized communities.

In tech, it’s vital to apply intersectionality to ensure tools, policies, and platforms reflect the diversity of their users, particularly those from historically and continuously under-resourced, exploited, and oppressed communities.

Crenshaw’s article, “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex,” was written when she noticed that cases of discrimination often focused on the experiences of the most privileged members within underprivileged groups. This approach failed to consider how different forms of discrimination overlap and compound each other. For example, in one case, a Black woman faced systemic discrimination, but the courts dismissed her claim by using statistics that showed women were hired—though these were white women—and that Black people were hired—though these were Black men. This overlooked the unique discrimination Black women experience at the intersection of race and gender.