A Brief Introduction: Intersectionality
Back in the late 1980s, theorists began writing the first texts to examine the issue of “intersectionality”. The U.S. legal expert and professor Kimberlé Crenshaw analysed how different forms of discrimination—particularly racism and sexism—create overlapping points and are mutually reinforcing. This concept or theory, lets us analyse social conditions from an interdisciplinary perspective. The idea behind this is to focus upon several structural conditions which have a negative influence, and investigate how these intermesh.
The image of a crossing is often used to illustrate the concept of intersectionality: place where a wide range of different “tracks” come together, but it can often be difficult to recognise which “track” has the strongest effect at a defined point. This is precisely how it is portrayed in the field of discrimination.
Many people of widely-differing backgrounds experience discrimination at various levels on a daily basis – whether this be due to their ethnic background (race), their sex (gender) or their membership of a particular social grouping (class). These three categories provide the basic structure of this analytical method.
Since first being posited, the concept of intersectionality has appeared in both academic and social discourse. This article will attempt to highlight the wide and diverse ways in which the influences are portrayed in the field of exploitation.
An Attempt: Exploitation and the Diverse “tracks”
People affected by exploitation often find it difficult to escape its effects. They see no way out for themselves. Despite supportive measures, external help centres, etc., they have the feeling they will never be able to escape their situation – and break away from it. But how can this be? What does this situation depend upon?
Kevin, 23, slender, darker skin, from a non-EU country
Kevin never corresponded to the image of a “typical man”. He is slender, very delicately built, and his face has refined, almost feminine features. Due to his origin, his skin is not typically white. He came to Austria as a young man, suffers from epileptic seizures, and as a result, has only been able to complete his basic school education. Through a friend, he got to know Alfonso, whom Kevin found extremely “pretty”, and Alfonso offered him a job. Kevin has been working in prostitution ever since, and sees no way out for himself.
Kevin serves only as a protagonist to illustrate the analytical concept of intersectional theory
People experience discrimination on a daily basis due to ethnic attributions of “non-white”. Such people are viewed as not being from here, not speaking “our” language, and not knowing “our” culture – all of which leads to their being excluded.
This is a sickness which has an effect on everyday life but which – like epilepsy – is essentially invisible. Until he has a seizure, Kevin looks just as healthy as anyone else. On the other hand, this leads to a situation whereby the inability to overcome “normal everyday life at school or the office” is often not understood. Here, too, experiences of exclusion occur.
Due to the external failure to belong to a particular idealised male type, a constant identity struggle is possible, even going as far as the rejection of one’s own appearance and self-hate.
Kevin’s example can be used to show how profound and multilayered these conditions are, and how the feeling “I’ll never get out of here” can be reinforced.
Due to his illness, Kevin was unable to take his university entrance exams or find an apprenticeship. Due to his non-white skin colour, he is exposed to “you’re not from here” looks every day. His appearance doesn’t correspond to the “typical” male features, and he is viewed as fragile, weak and helpless.
Intersectional Exploitation and Structural Violence
The example of Kevin is supposed to make clear how profound mechanisms of exclusion and exploitation have an effect. This article is supposed to portray a plea – a plea for a differentiated viewpoint, in order, finally, not to simply scratch at the surface of exploitative circumstances, but to call upon all involved to look into them more profoundly instead.
Theoretical analytical concepts such as intersectionality factor in power and hegemonic conditions. How can, or could, it be that certain people are repeatedly dragged into the vortex of exploitation, while for many others, such situations will never even be an issue?
Kevin’s marginalisation does not result from a single form of discrimination. Instead, it is the combination of several different factors: assumptions about ethnicity, health restrictions and gender-specific norms.
The interplay of these different types of discrimination creates a situation in which Kevin has hardly any access to resources or opportunity for social advancement. His health situation makes his educational and career opportunities more difficult, while racist attributions mark him out as “foreign” in society. His appearance, which does not adhere to the hegemonic idea of manliness (non-white, feminine features, etc.) reinforces his social vulnerability and influences how others perceive and treat him. The outer often defines the inner – exploitation is perceived as being his own fault.
His example shows that structural violence is reproduced not just by institutional regulations, but also by social beliefs and everyday discrimination.
The intersectional analysis makes clear that exploitation doesn’t just occur due to poverty or migratory experiences, but also as a result of the interplay of different power relationships. To fight mechanisms of this sort, therefore, requires not just measures against individual forms of discrimination, but also a fundamental rethinking of social class, gender roles and participation.
Our society – we – must look beyond the term “exploitation”, and finally unmask these mechanisms if we are to destroy them!
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