Intersectional Approach: Exploring Justice Barriers in Society - Essay Sample

Introduction

The intersectional approach refers to the understanding of the real solutions that consider an individual's oppression experiences and the systems that promote oppression hence forming justice barriers. This approach explains how the experiences and the oppression systems intersect thus created substantial justice barriers. These barriers are deeply rooted in society and result in various ways that different people are socially treated. An intersectional approach is used to develop solutions to the obstacles in society. Therefore, the following are ways that the intersectional approach advances social change and social justice work.

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One of the ways is that the intersectional approach promotes social equity in society. This approach advocates on the diversity of experiences that different groups of people undergo in the community. These experiences make them to either receive or lack certain privileges in society. For instance, gayism is an experience that makes gay men marginalized and treated differently and in a demining way in society (Please 191). For example, gay men may be stereotype and discriminated such that they cannot attend other men forums. In such a situation, the intersectional approach analyses these personal experiences and creates ways of accommodating them in society. As a result, there is social change and justice for such a category of people. For instance, the intersectional approach played a significant role in the legalization of gay marriages in the USA.

Another way is that the intersectional approach promotes social justice by making civil rights laws adequate to fight against pernicious racism (Please p.256). The approach outlines several factors that prove different aspects of racism in society. In that case, it declares a certain race as the racial minority that is entitled to legal protection against all forms of race discrimination. Additionally, the intersectional approach emphasizes the society and the legal structure to notice the unconscious racism that is an event in community. Noticing the unconscious racism leads to the development of government policies and regulations that are wide enough to accommodate both unconscious and intentional racism (Pease, p.257). These strategies have played a vital role in reducing the stereotypes against people of color in whites dominated societies.

Processing the information about the intersectional approach effects social change, and social justice is difficult. The article book explains the concept in a manner that sets double standards, especially when directed to the privileges of different groups of people. Understanding and interpretation the concept of the matrix of oppression is difficult and confusing (Pease p.192). The term matrix is confusing because it's unclear which factors of hegemonic masculinity lead to oppression. It's also confusing how the gender roles played by men in society promote certain forms of oppression in the same society. In other words, the information in part three and part four is indirect; therefore, it is difficult to decode its actual meaning.

Language Power

A language is a powerful tool in social change as well as social justice. The use of certain language terms can change the perceptions of people regarding other human beings and things. In other words, language can praise or demine certain groups of people. Furthermore, the use of certain terms determines where a certain group of people is appreciated or rejected by society. Language creates certain types of people and dictates the respect and the social status that such people should have. Once that happens, such society's live with the awarded features until the language is changed.

One of the ways that language is powerful is that it contributes to racism in the world. The use of language has led people to think that people of certain races are more superior than others. For instance, the use of the term Caucasian led to the science of racial classification (Pease, p.232). The term was used to refer to people that lived in the Caucasus mountains. These people were referred to be the most beautiful being who were God's original creation hence having a higher IQ than other people. In other words, the use of language made them superior to people of other races, especially the blacks and the Malayans'.

The second example that language is powerful is that it is used to amplify minstrelization or normification. Language is used by the stigmatized society members to prove that they have some aspects and abilities better than those of the dominant group (Pease.P.194). This is because language is used to exaggerate situations and appearances as well as abilities. For instance, African Americans used language to exaggerate their entertaining abilities. As a result, the whites ended up associating them to be entertainment kings, a field they had never excelled in before. Generally, language is capable of changing stigmatization and stereotyping in society.

The last example is that language is powerful because it influences the privileges received by some societies. If the language used makes some communities superior to others, they are likely to have more privileges (Pease p.267-268). For instance, in the USA, opportunities are distributed more among European Americans and Native Americans than other groups. This is because, since time immemorial, the language used in these groups places them at higher ranks in society than other groups. Generally, language is a very powerful tool in social justice and social change.