It was coined in 1989 by professor Kimberlé Crenshaw to describe how race, class, gender, and other individual characteristics “intersect” with one another and overlap. “Intersectionality” has, in a sense, gone viral over the past half-decade, resulting in a backlash from the right.

Who started intersectionality?

She Coined the Term ‘Intersectionality’ Over 30 Years Ago. Here’s What It Means to Her Today. Kimberle Crenshaw speaks during the New York Women’s Foundation’s “Celebrating Women” breakfast in New York City, on May 10, 2018.

What is intersectionality and why is it important?

Intersectionality provides a lens through which we can examine the processes, practices, policies, and structures that increase the risk of students experiencing disadvantage or discrimination because of their intersecting identities.