Using intersectionality in practise: challenges and solutions Prof Peter Hopkins and Prof Judith Rankin

Format Outline of the workshop Confidence in using intersectionality? What is intersectionality? Intersectionality and Athena SWAN The challenges of using intersectionality Questions?

Ask participants to rate their understanding of intersectionality on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being know nothing and 10 being fully knowledgeable)

So, what is intersectionality? Crenshaw (1989) observed that the dominant approach to discrimination tends to focus on exclusions occurring along a single categorical axis. Her work focused on the employment experiences of black women. This ‘…erases Black women in the conceptualization, identification and remediation of race and sex discrimination by limiting inquiry to the experiences of otherwise-privileged members of the group’ (Crenshaw, 1989: 140). For Crenshaw (1989), simply adding racism and sexism together does not address the ways in which black women are marginalised.

Structural, political and representational intersectionality Structural intersectionality is about the ways in which black women have to deal with ‘multi-layered and routinized forms of domination’ (Crenshaw, 1991: 1245) such as those associated with housing inequalities or employment practices. Political intersectionality focuses on the ways in which black women belong to at least two marginalised groups and so often have to engage with different political agendas. Representational intersectionality focuses on how images of women of colour – and debates about these – tend to overlook the intersectional interests of such women.

Intersectionality is not just about identities Intersectionality is also about … Relationality Social context Power relations Complexity social justice and inequalities

Why is intersectionality useful? The fundamental benefit of adopting an intersectional approach to equality research (for example, looking at data for students who are disabled and from a particular ethnic background, or sexual orientation etc) is that it provides an understanding of the issues that is closer to the lived experiences of the equality groups that you are interested in, thus allowing you to develop effective strategies to address them. It therefore aids in the development of appropriate equality objectives and equality outcomes for your institution or college (ECU, 2017: 2)

INTERSECTIONALITY WITHIN ATHENA SWAN CONTEXT Tracking intersection of gender and race required at institutional level Encouraged at School level Other intersecting characteristics can be included but not required Requirements Attention given to intersectionality must increase with higher awards Explanations must be given for any actions taken Reflection and action Expectations

INTERSECTIONALITY WITHIN ATHENA SWAN CONTEXT Only required for: Academic & Research staff by gender and grade PS and Technical Staff by grade & gender (Silver only) Issues to consider: What data do we collect What don’t we collect that we need to How can data tell the story and fix gaps Data requirements Some of the issues to consider could include: Ethnicity data: For institutional applications only Reflective analysis: To find out data implication for your school Barriers: If any, does this present any issues for your School? Action planning: Awareness-raising, arrangements to mitigate impact and promote an inclusive culture.

HOW INSTITUTIONAL SATs CAN MEET EXPECTATIONS… Require a proactive commitment to consider intersectionality in increased detail for higher level award: Bronze, silver or gold: When gathering and reporting on pipeline data for all Academic, PS and Technical Staff Where impossible: Appropriate actions must be drawn up for future data collection Silver or gold level: Obtain and reflect on ethnicity data (no need to present) Provide: An explanation of implemented actions and considerations given to how these will affect all groups across race and gender Considering and analysing departmental data, SAT could explore the data e.g by asking how does ethnicity (or any of the characteristic) interact/intersect with gender to inform assessors of what they are trying to describe about their School

Youth, gender and body size Edwina: I don’t feel girly and then I don’t get attraction, em. . . sometimes, you know, you don’t get any eye contact from other people and it makes you feel a little down (18 years old). Seema: According to the traditional Indian girl image . . . I’m too tall for an Indian girl and I’m overweight. My parents have this massive thing of how would they get me married because I don’t look good enough according to them (23 years old). Aisha: I feel that religion is a positive thing because I am a Muslim and it said that God made everyone in perfection so you don’t have the right to look at anyone any other way because God made every single person and life is a test so you shouldn’t really judge (19 years old).

Some of the criticisms levied at intersectionality Intersectionality is often misused and unjustifiably critiqued (based on mis-readings of it) Its has no specific method or methodology Where is social class? What is meant by ‘interlocking’ inequalities? Not displacing the key role of race?

Some of the challenges posed about intersectionality and its applications It is only about black women It is only about gender and race (and possibly class) It is only about identity

What are the challenges involved in using intersectionality in your work? Ask participants to discuss challenges of using intersectionality in small groups and to fill out post-it notes indicating what these challenges are (one point per post-it note)

Review of session Obtain feedback about session Return to questions about understanding of intersectionality and confidence in using it to review how sessions has helped participants