Unlocking Intersectionality: A Sociological Perspective - Essay Sample

Introduction

Understanding intersectional identities is an important sociological aspect in determining different relations and how different institutions affect an individual. Intersectionality helps to classify an individual into class, race, gender, social status and other different characteristics that help to distinguish people based on their differences. Additionally, sociology establishes that understanding these differences may be essential in identifying the possible threats that face them courtesy of various oppressive institutions arising from social constructs of racism, classism and other forms of discrimination. It is thus vital to understand how different factors shape personal experiences as a result of these identities. In this paper, I argue that different institutions promote social inequality by providing rules that create social divide along different social lines. Drawing upon the particularly representative examples found in scholarly sources, films, and other sources, this essay highlights how different notions enhance social inequalities.

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Intersectional Identity

I identify as a Caucasian heterosexual able-bodied female. The different identities that I embrace have been vital in determining how I relate with others and my experiences in different institutions. My race is considered to be the dominant one over people of other races, and it thus provides room for certain privileges within various institutions. It also bears with it certain stereotypes that determine how other people relate with me depending on the differences between our races. My sexuality and abilities also help classify me in the majority group while my gender puts me in the minority group. As a minority, my gender prevents me from accessing certain opportunities at different institutions when I have to share them with men of my race. However, this same identity puts me on a different spectrum when compared to women of different races since my race comes with certain privileges as shall be discussed below.

Institutions that Promote Social Inequalities

Government

The government reinforces social inequality through government policies and constitutional laws that promote discrimination. Government policies determine income inequality, which is dependent on class and race. The government also provides policies that guide in the allocation of resources for different social groups. Public resources such as reception of justice is dependent on the Judiciary which is responsible for the interpretation of the constitution to ensure that all social groups get justice. Being a heterosexual has prevented me from having to deal with cases on sexuality before same sex marriages became acceptable in our society.

Religion

Religion provides rules that may create social disparities based on who is allowed to participate in certain religious activities. Most religions are yet to accept the existence of people with different sexualities and this state of denial has resulted in social inequality. Being a Christian, I have witnessed churches closing doors on people who do not consider themselves heterosexuals for the belief that they promote unnatural ways not aligned with the teachings of the Bible. However, more churches are slowly becoming accepting of the existence of people with different sexual orientations.

Family

On a family level, social inequalities arise as a result of pre-determined family roles based on gender. As a female, I am expected to take part in certain traditional roles, and in certain instances, the males in my family may reinforce the misconception of "women are there to be seen and not be heard". This notion has promoted social inequality within my family setting.

School

Education is known to promote equality among people of different intersectional identities, with the race being the main factor for consideration. However, different studies show that education also plays a significant role in promoting social inequalities by providing a racial divide among different people. According to statistics, white students dominate most universities, especially the Ivy League universities such as Oxford and Cambridge, while people of color are dominant in universities that lack efficient resources and in community colleges (QS N.pag). The lack of meritocracy and unavailability of resources in institutions thus promote inequality among schools. On a personal level. Being from the middle class and a Caucasian has granted me access to a school with better facilities which would not have been the case had I been of a different race or class. My gender has very little contribution to my access to education, although I am restricted from participating in certain sports that are considered masculine.

Healthcare

The provision of quality healthcare is dependent on the class of individuals since they are able to cater for the medical expenses. On the other hand, poor people lack the luxury of enjoying quality healthcare. Additionally, health institutions are equipped with resources based on whom they serve Healthcare centers that tend to people of lower social status tend to lack most medical resources and hence are inefficient in providing medical care. The film Incorporated is a clear depiction of how social status determines the accessibility of healthcare. In most instances, social class is related to race and in such cases, people of color lack the essential medical facilities. Since I belong in the middle class, I have had access to better medical care than people of lower social classes and other races, a clear indication of social inequality.

Employment

Employment opportunities mainly affect the race, gender, and abilities, depending on the factors that determine the employability of an individual. According to Schettkat, disabled people may be subjected to poor wages as they are considered as liabilities by employers (284). Additionally, employers fail to consider disabled individuals for employment opportunities since their capabilities are limited. When it comes to race, employment promotes racial and gender disparities in the provision of employment opportunities. According to a report by the Population Reference Bureau (PRB), more whites hold white color jobs and are considered for promotions and managerial positions in comparison to people of color (N.pag.). Class arises from the occupational differences in employment, where Caucasians get higher pay than other people of color.

On a personal level, I have been considered severally for part-time jobs and I can attribute this factor to being white when other participants are people of color. I have also been made supervisor at my workplace despite having worked for a few months even though there were other people of color who would have qualified for the position.

Different Notions Versus Social Factors

Hegemony

The notion of hegemony arises when one social group chooses to dominate another social group. Social groups may result from racial, gender, sexuality or class groups. This concept is fostered by various factors which influence the thinking of people by spreading a certain belief. An example is in advertisements which used to depict women playing traditional roles of taking care of the family while men were given more respectable roles (Grau and Zotos 761). Gender stereotypes have depicted men as the dominating gender throughout the years. An example is Mr. Clean detergent advertisement that showed a man with a muscular physique as an implication of their strength (Carvajal N.pag). Such advertisements send a message that degrades women while appraising men and thus puts men on a level higher than that of women as a way of promoting hegemony.

Privilege

The notions of race, class, gender, sexuality, and abilities determine the level of privilege of an individual. The societies today consider whiteness as the default race against which other races are measured (Petray and Collin 2). As a result, people of other races experience oppression and depression and in most cases, white people are oblivious to these privileges. Different practices are representative of white privileges, such as the easy access to makeup products for white women while women of color have difficulty getting products that are perfect for their skin tones. Other instances include the production of band-aids that match the white skin and the freedom to walk inside supermarkets without having an attendant walk behind you. Most whites fail to detect white privilege since they are not subjected to this form of marginalization.

Colonialism

Colonialism refers to the acquisition of control of political control of a country by another for the purpose of economic exploitation. Colonialism utilizes the factor of class and race to take effect, especially since exploitative countries are usually well-developed in terms of industries and technology. These countries take control of nations that appear inferior in terms of race, as in the case of Europeans establishing political rule in African countries in the past.

Capitalism

Capitalism arises when a select few have authority over production systems and determine the norms for the distribution of resources. This notion operates within the notions of class, race, gender, and sexuality, which determine the differentiation preference for the accessibility of resources. Capitalism marginalizes people who may be considered different from the norm by failing to avail these resources to them. An example may be access to certain public goods by people of color and people who are not heterosexual or are of a different religion.

The establishment of meritocracies also ensures that only people of certain races and classes have access to better resources due to the distribution of resources based on merit. Certain social systems create hierarchies that categorize people based on their identities in order to determine those that will have access to certain resources. As a Caucasian, it is evident that people of color fall low in the social hierarchy, while whites fall high in the hierarchy. This difference thus ensures that the white people are able to control the distribution of resources, hence promote capitalism.

Conclusion

In conclusion, my intersectional identity has granted me the advantage to enjoy most privileges in comparison to most people. As a woman, I am able to relate well with the struggles of most women, while my privilege allows me to speak up for people who are marginalized by different institutions as a result of their differences.

Works Cited

Carvajal, D."Europe takes aim at Sexual Stereotyping in Ads." The New York Times. 9 September 2008. www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/business/media/10adco.html. Accessed 10 May 2019.

Grau, Stacy and Zotos, Yorgos. "Gender Stereotypes in Advertising: A Review of Current Research". International Journal of Advertising, vol.35, no. 5, 2016. DOI: 10.1080/02650487.2016.1203556. Accessed 10 May 2019.

Incorporated. Directed by Ted Humphrey, 2016-2017.

Petray, Theresa L. and Collin, Rowan. "Your Privilege is Trending: Confronting Whiteness on Social Media." Sage Journals, 2017. Doi.org/10.1177/2056305117706783. Accessed 10 May 2019.

Population Reference Bureau. "Racial Inequalities in Managerial and Professional Jobs". 1 February 2001. www.pbr.org/racialinequalitiesinmanagerialandprofessionaljobs. Accessed 10 May 2019.

QS. "Does Higher Education reinforce Inequality?" N.d. www.qs.com/does-higher-education-reinforce-inequality/. Accessed 10 May 2019.