Influence of Intersectionality on Communication (Essay Sample)

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Intersctionality Influence on Communication: Kamala Harris Example
Intersectionality theory considers that people have different identity markers: race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, among others. These identities are considered a complex matrix of interdependent intersections that often create a convergence of oppression. The term was invented by Kimberle Crenshaw, a social theorist and a law professor, in 1989. However, the theory had emerged earlier during the black women's feminism movements which fought for black women's rights in leadership positions. During the 2021 presidential campaign, the context of intersectionality was widely introduced as a communication approach to push the narratives about Kamala Harris's leadership qualities.
Intersectionality is a critical social inequity where people communicate their different experiences with dissimilar and overlapping identities. For example, after winning the presidential elections, the media presented vice president-elect Kamara Harris as having won because of her association with Bidden or the people's animus towards President Trump. The information gave the idea that contradicts Harris's political achievements or trajectory to her position. Rather than denying and ignoring it, people should embrace intersectionality because it increases the accuracy of conversations (Griffin, 10). The backlash and misinformation by sections of media and political opponents against Ms. Harrsis describe how intersectionality informs communication.
While the majority African –American women championed intersectionality, the theory has evolved to inform the understanding of diversity, including political opinions, sexual orientation, and class. Astor (n.p) notes that after Bidden announced Ms. Harris as his running mate, a section of President Trump's right-wing media and radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh falsely suggested that she had "slept her way up." A caricature was communicated to accompany the sexualization of the female gender, especially the black women, to portray their inability to lead. The announcement thrilled many Americans and unleashed a conversation about race, birthplace, and sexism. Americans had mixe