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Kendra Curtis
Dr. Kendra Parker
English 113: Feminist Perspective
September 2, 2016
Critical Summary 1
In Why Our Feminism Must Be Intersectional, Jarune Uwujaren and Jamie Utt define
intersectionality as a framework that must be applied to all social justice work, a frame that
recognizes the multiple aspects of identity that enrich our lives and experiences and that
compound and complicate oppressions and marginalizations. While most believe that feminism
is only based around having equality throughout the genders, Uwujaren and Utt explain that it is
much deeper than that. There are so many more aspects of identification, sexuality and gender
that are looked over due to a privilege that most dont have. Feminism that is publicized is only
based around white, middle class women and its basically a one-size-fits-all movement. This
leaves women of color, poverty stricken women, transgenders and others that dont fit the White
feminist mold ignored and forgotten about. Uwujaren and Utt believe that we cannot separate
one oppression from another. Racism for women of color cannot be separated from their
gendered oppression (Uwujaren and Utt). Both oppressions are of the same importance and
must be tackled together rather than separately. Intersectional feminism helps us to broaden our
spectrums and helps us to better understand and help women who are generally looked over or
unaddressed.
I agree with what Uwujaren and Utt are explaining. While feminism is based around the
equality of all genders, it must include the equalities of women of every color, identification,
sexuality, wealth status, etc. If the perspective of feminism continues to be White feminism the
oppression of people without privilege will continue to occur. How are we supposed to improve
the equality issue if we dont even keep in mind the other struggles and needs that many women
face and that are normally overlooked? There needs to be a voice, an advocation, for the women
whose voices are muffled and silenced on a daily basis. There cannot be a feminist movement if
it only resides on one specific group of people whose only oppression is their gender. As the
authors mention, women with more oppressions are at more of a risk for being attacked or even
killed for more than just being a female. Transgender women or men have more of a chance of
being killed during hate crimes. Women of color are looked at as less of a woman just due to
their skin tone. If we do not consider these oppressions just as equal to the oppression of women,
there is no movement. This only puts more attention on those who are privileged. Glossing over
the issues faced by specific groups of women for the sake of unity centers the feminist movement
on those who have the most privilege and visibility (Uwujaren and Utt).
This way of defining what feminism should be has helped to improve how I personally
define feminism. Ive always had the personal opinion that the way feminism is presented in the
media was very conflicting and that the movement has been made to look like this extreme
movement that hates men and is just looking for the equality of women, nothing more. I honestly
have a strong belief in intersectional feminism because it has a goal and it has a strong definition
for what equality among the genders truly is. Oppressions come hand in hand. Black women are
oppressed because they are black and they are women. Not just because theyre black or just
because theyre a women. They are oppressed in both ways and if these oppressions arent
looked at as equal, as if they dont have the same importance, than what the movement is trying
to do will get nowhere.

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Works Cited
Uwujaren, J., Utt, J. Why Our Feminism Must be Intersectional (And 3 Ways to Practice
It). Everyday Feminism. January 11, 2015. September 10 2016.