Intersectionality : People and Perspectives

By V Kabilan

Who doesn't like a forbidden romance where their “love” goes beyond their social status and the roles they were restricted to, but is it the love that is actually making the story flavorful? 

Then imagine the very same characters being so thoroughly suited in their beliefs, economic status and social hierarchies that they are considered the “perfect match”, then the story goes on with them getting married and living their happily ever after and... that's it? 

So it is not the romance itself rather how such love persists and evolves between people where their union feels illicit and as such is a blasphemy in the eyes of the people , where the very characters involved are unsure of their own feelings and if it's right to engage in any more covert conversations. Sounds like an exciting plot with some potential for development right? 

Following that , you want a plot where the characters come with differing backgrounds which shape their contrasting personalities and their romance is forbidden due to clashing of their identities where their union puts the harmony of the nation at stake or affecting some other made up structure affecting the interests of people at large.

And this is where intersectionality comes in, to play a vital role of giving life to the characters and sustenance to the story. 

Intersectionality (coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in the late 1980s to describe overlapping systems of oppression) refers to the interconnectedness of social categorizations such as race , gender , class , sexuality , ability - all of which shape an individual's experiences and opportunities, often resulting in individuals with identities that intersect to have too much influence or oppressed beyond measure. 

Essentially being a framework to find patterns of oppression or authoritarianism implied from and linked to multiple dimensions of social identities that an individual is granted at life. 

So how does it make the stories interesting? It defines their personalities with respect to their differing backgrounds thereby creating a natural contrast between them and as events unfold and the way they perceive each other changes for the better. 

But is intersectionality only an aesthetic showpiece of clashing personas and contradicting values? Absolutely not. You cannot go on admiring that romance trope if all it does is just showcase irony and cracks within the most solidly structured of people through 'love'. What makes it interesting is the interactions happening between their multiple dimensions of identities with the notions of societal hierarchy and what those events imply for the characters, bringing out their nature in face of conflicts, creating that thrill for the readers. 

Intersectionality is not only about conflict or contrast — it’s about how multiple identities coexist and interact within social systems, creating unique experiences of advantage or disadvantage.

The very reason why marriages between people with similar backgrounds is generally considered healthy is because their life variables like socio-economic status, traditions, lifestyle habits like consumption , savings and investing , education tends to speak volumes of their core philosophies of the way to live life which tends to be the same and the way these variables intersect and combine to create personalities is similar, thus ending up with a partner of similar personality or with the highest compatibility of complementing and understanding your personality.

But intersectionality goes beyond just offering stories of grounded realities but also goes on to discuss how we perceive people in various social contexts and scenarios , it is the very reason that diplomatic relations between places of power is such a delicate matter addressing various concerns connected to sensitive topics like culture,economy etc in a considerate manner that taps into their interests whilst securing your own interests as well. 

From international relations to boardroom meetings , you have to engage in various textured conversations understanding the nuances and their implications to your own interests , that comes with collaborating alongside diversity.

Take India's example of its dynamic positioning at the global forefront, from making its constitution, after nearly two centuries of indiscriminate oppression, such that equality and stability of order prevails throughout, countering any dire consequences arising from the vast social categorizations amid diverse cultures through intersectional awareness, to strategically being non-aligned despite all that urging to join the push and pull in the international waters, effectively avoiding countless consequences of being openly allied with certain countries yet still growing no matter what , emerging at present as one of the respected nations worldwide, impossible to ignore in the international arena.

And intersectionality also works around in micro settings as well like workplace scenario where you account for various aspects of employees in the sense of formal professional identities and personal identities and which matters are worth giving concessions for and which should be strictly managed. 

Annual General Meetings where you discuss various prospects of the companies that satisfies various stakeholders of different socio economic classes invested in the company and also securing the company's interests along the way thereby leading to all these formalized interactions to reach a mutually beneficial conclusion. 

Have you ever wondered why the cases taken to the court have people mentally prepped to fight a legal battle for years emotionally and financially willingly invested? Because that's the usual time period where a sensitive dispute taken to a court normally receives its hearing.

Now why does this law seem complicated in its making? It's just a squabble over one thing generally amongst two parties, but the factors involved in consideration (justification criteria like period validity etc.) ,when playing the moral high ground, has multiple dimensions and identities to be taken care of with reference to the context of the problem it is applied to in coordination with the multiple dimensions of identities of the people involved (any default special rights possessed relevant to the situational circumstances) to give a fair and suitable judgement, often we see that identity intersections and their interaction with law cause certain parties to be slightly disadvantaged. And it becomes even more difficult in case of substantial religious disputes over something of high communal value, they have to also take in consideration about the cultural factors and the representation of their verdict without stirring any religious conflicts providing authentic verified evidence for their verdict so as to pacify the public and retain their image of impartiality. 

Also the phenomenon of intersectionality helps in criminal cases as well , by creating and narrowing down on the possible suspects in a murder case because most of the times, their motivations to kill are closely tied to their multiple dimensions of identities which can be used to find the sociological or psychological reasons for murder, which is why it is hard to find serial killers who kill random people whom they have no connection with. 

Just imagine a judge of a certain orientation looked upon unfavourably and following a religion that is involved in that very case, will the public be accepting of his involvement in that case? Absolutely not. Here his professional and personal roles are conflicting each other,making him a unsuitable candidate to rely upon considering how his personal inclinations affect his job requirements.Here it isn't about oppression of any sort with intent of exploitation , rather just pure logical systemic interaction 

For instance, many people who have entered the entertainment field have been able to capture more people than an average person because your nativity, residential place, and your educational endeavors are all of different places giving you exposure to a diverse set of cultures thus connect to a wider range of audience . How many celebrities have you come across that give off a unique vibe of “personalised just for ya” in favor of their pursuit of passion? 

It has been embedded in society for centuries, hidden in traditions and empires all throughout, leading to the rise of high society and more sophisticated forms of cultured interactions wherever understanding is required for action to be taken. 

By V Kabilan