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Intercsetionality and Its Importance in Inclusion, Diversity and Equity
By (Student name)
Affiliation (School)
Course Title & Class
Instructor/Tutor
Date
, 2
Intercsetionality and Its Importance in Inclusion, Diversity and Equity
Introduction
As populations and communities continue to increase across the world, so has diversity,
characterized by increased integration of people from different social calibers, on the bases of
age, race, class, educational backgrounds and religious affiliations, among other differential
facets. Along with this is the growth of diverse types of social oppressions (conscious or
unconscious), orchestrated by the increasingly complex and interlacing factors promoted by
ethnic, cultural, economic, biological, and political factors. Social workers, as champions and
custodians of social justice, must, therefore, keep acutely alert to this complexity, especially
when working with people identified as ‘social minorities,’ who are mostly on the receiving end
of issues like inequalities, prejudice, and social victimization. This paper looks into the role of
intersectionality on equity, diversity, and inclusion in the realms of social work practice.
Defining intersectionality
Coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, the term describes how systems of oppression
overlap or intersect to create or shape the experiences of different based on their identities
(Agents of Change, 2024). These systems or factors include age, gender, race, ethnicity,
disability, sexuality, and class, which may intersect in different ways to expose a person to either
oppression, or privilege. The concept of intersectionality finds wide utility in social work, where
it’s used to delineate how different (combinations of) an individual’s identity facets interact to
affect his/her well-being and day-to-day experiences. This is in response to the knowledge that
human problems are not products of a single cause but a multiplicity of determinants, which
must be identified and addressed if an ultimate solution is to be found (Murphy, 2009).
Importance of Intersectionality
Intercsetionality and Its Importance in Inclusion, Diversity and Equity
By (Student name)
Affiliation (School)
Course Title & Class
Instructor/Tutor
Date
, 2
Intercsetionality and Its Importance in Inclusion, Diversity and Equity
Introduction
As populations and communities continue to increase across the world, so has diversity,
characterized by increased integration of people from different social calibers, on the bases of
age, race, class, educational backgrounds and religious affiliations, among other differential
facets. Along with this is the growth of diverse types of social oppressions (conscious or
unconscious), orchestrated by the increasingly complex and interlacing factors promoted by
ethnic, cultural, economic, biological, and political factors. Social workers, as champions and
custodians of social justice, must, therefore, keep acutely alert to this complexity, especially
when working with people identified as ‘social minorities,’ who are mostly on the receiving end
of issues like inequalities, prejudice, and social victimization. This paper looks into the role of
intersectionality on equity, diversity, and inclusion in the realms of social work practice.
Defining intersectionality
Coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, the term describes how systems of oppression
overlap or intersect to create or shape the experiences of different based on their identities
(Agents of Change, 2024). These systems or factors include age, gender, race, ethnicity,
disability, sexuality, and class, which may intersect in different ways to expose a person to either
oppression, or privilege. The concept of intersectionality finds wide utility in social work, where
it’s used to delineate how different (combinations of) an individual’s identity facets interact to
affect his/her well-being and day-to-day experiences. This is in response to the knowledge that
human problems are not products of a single cause but a multiplicity of determinants, which
must be identified and addressed if an ultimate solution is to be found (Murphy, 2009).
Importance of Intersectionality
