I think a big part of understanding intersectionality is an understanding of privilege(1). Before I became disabled, I had privilege as an able-bodied person, along with living in a country where I fluently speak the official language as my first and having two parents who, although both immigrants, spoke English as their first language and were educated to university level. Still a Black girl, I was very aware of how my experience of the world would be shaped by these aspects of my identity - my race and my gender - and the way others perceive me. But I was still afforded certain opportunities that some of my peers weren't because of some of these differences. Crucially, I didn’t have to worry about being a victim of ableism.
Having social privilege didn’t mean I never faced challenges. It meant any challenges I faced were not caused by being disabled or, more specifically, society’s treatment of disabled people - I didn't face additional barriers brought by being disabled.
Now, navigating the world as a disabled Black woman, there are additional factors that play a part in my day to day life experiencing marginalisation.
When you are part of multiple marginalised groups, these identities don’t exist on their own. They intersect. Not only am I a Black person, and a woman, and disabled, but a disabled-Black-woman.
If you’re reading this, you will have some form of social privilege - we all do. It could be your race, gender, sexual orientation or age. Or it could be something else entirely. Privilege is not an accusation, nor is it a criticism of our character. Rather, we need to acknowledge and accept the ways social privileges affect our perspective and experience of the world around us and the roles we play.
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