Masis-Cubero 1

Rebeca Masis-Cubero
Dr. Parker
ENG 113
September 9th, 2016
Critical Summary: Intersectional Feminism
Although feminism is a movement that began with the purpose of fighting for womens
equality and freedom, there are many women who feel that feminism is not representing their
rights and interests. According to Uwujaren and Utt, one of the greatest issues of the feminist
movement is the lack of intersectionality. Intersectionality, as defined in this article, is the
awareness that our experiences and identities are deeply intertwined. In the words of the writers,
Intersectionality is 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. The authors insist that mainstream
feminism has become a movement that represents white, middle class women only. On the other
hand, issues that affect women of color, women living in poverty, women from other cultures,
transgender women, etc., are generally ignored or unaddressed. Uwujaren and Utt define this as
white feminism, or feminism that excludes all perspectives and experiences that are different
from those of a white, middle class woman. The authors encourage their audience to understand
the need for intersectional feminism. Although some might say that encouraging intersectionality
is divisive, the authors insist that intersectionality is necessary, stating that racism, poverty, and
gender discrimination cannot be separated for a woman who is experiencing all of these issues.
I agree that the feminist perspective must represent women equally, regardless of their
race, socioeconomic class, culture, etc. It is incredibly important that we advocate for the

Masis-Cubero 2

freedom and equality of every woman, especially for those who do not have a voice and cant
speak for themselves. However, I still insist that it is impossible to recognize and value the
voices of every woman, when we dont respect cultures and opinions that differ from our own. I
maintain that true feminism is concerned with equality and freedom for women, but I believe that
in order to be effective in fighting for freedom, we must learn to value each individual and
culture, and the choices they will make for themselves. We cannot advocate for a feminism that
is only advocating for one version of freedom and equality, just like we cannot advocate a
feminism that is only concerned with women of a certain demographic.
This reading definitely impacted my view of feminism. I have always felt that
mainstream feminism was only concerned with representing the interests of a specific group of
people, rather than fighting for all women. The way that feminism is represented in the media
always made me feel that it was not a movement that was truly concerned with issues that
impacted me. I truly believe that feminism must be intersectional because my identity is not
complete in simply stating that I am a woman. I am a woman, and I love being a woman, but I
am so much more than just female. I am also an immigrant. I was also raised by a single parent.
While I definitely have been affected by issues that are specific to women, there are so many
other pieces of my identity that have affected me just as much. As feminists, if our concern is
truly for women, we need to be concerned with women as a whole, and fight for their equality
and freedom. However, we must be willing to address issues such as race, poverty, and
discrimination, because they are often intertwined with other issues that impact us as women.

Works Cited:

Masis-Cubero 3

Uwujaren, Jarune and Utt, Jamie. Why Our Feminism Must be Intersectional (And 3
Ways to Practice It. Everyday Feminism. January 11, 2015. September 10th, 2016.