9.1 Recognizing the unique challenges faced by marginalized groups

Marginalized groups face unique challenges rooted in systemic barriers and historical oppression. These communities, defined by race, gender, sexuality, disability, and other intersecting identities, continue to struggle against policies and practices that perpetuate inequities in health, education, and economic opportunities.

Intersectionality recognizes that individuals with multiple marginalized identities experience compounded discrimination and barriers. This concept, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, highlights the need for nuanced approaches in addressing complex social issues and advocating for equitable solutions that consider diverse experiences within marginalized communities.

Systemic Barriers and Inequities

Policies and Practices that Exclude

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• Systemic barriers are policies, practices or procedures that result in some people receiving unequal access or being excluded
  • Lack of accessibility accommodations (wheelchair ramps, braille signage) prevents full participation by people with disabilities
  • Discriminatory hiring practices (name discrimination, hair discrimination) unfairly filter out qualified candidates from marginalized groups
  • Inequitable allocation of resources (school funding based on property taxes) perpetuates disparities in low-income communities of color

Social Determinants of Health

• Social determinants of health disproportionately disadvantage marginalized groups and perpetuate disparities
  • Economic stability (generational poverty, lack of living wage jobs)
  • Education access and quality (underfunded schools, lack of diversity in curriculum)
  • Health care access and quality (lack of translation services, cultural stigmas)
  • Neighborhood and built environment (food deserts, transportation barriers)
  • Social and community context (discrimination, lack of support services)
• Inequities are unfair, avoidable differences arising from poor governance, corruption or cultural exclusion
  • Impact housing security (redlining, gentrification, housing discrimination)
  • Limit educational opportunities (school-to-prison pipeline, digital divide)
  • Restrict healthcare access (lack of gender-affirming care, abortion restrictions)
  • Threaten legal protections (unequal sentencing, police brutality against minorities)

Defining Marginalized Communities

• Marginalized communities are groups traditionally excluded or oppressed due to inherent characteristics
  • Race (Black, Latinx, Asian, Indigenous, Multiracial)
  • Gender identity (transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming)
  • Sexual orientation (lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, asexual)
  • Disability status (physical disabilities, neurodivergence, chronic illness, mental health conditions)
  • Socioeconomic class (low-income, working class, homeless)
  • Religion (Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, Atheists)
  • Age (youth, elders)
  • Other intersecting identities

Historical Context of Marginalization

Roots in Historical Oppression

• Many current systemic inequities and injustices have roots in historical oppression, discrimination and racist policies
  • Slavery and Jim Crow laws in the U.S. enforced racial hierarchy and segregation
  • Redlining and discriminatory lending practices excluded people of color from homeownership and wealth-building
  • Forced migration and cultural assimilation of Indigenous groups through Indian Removal Act and boarding schools
  • Denial of civil rights (voting restrictions, ban on same-sex marriage, Japanese internment camps)
• Intergenerational poverty and trauma impact many marginalized communities today as a lasting effect of historical injustices
  • Racial wealth gap from lack of reparations and barred access to property ownership
  • Cycles of poverty reinforced by underfunded schools and overpoliced neighborhoods
  • Collective and cultural trauma from systemic violence passed through generations
  • Erasure of history and lack of accountability prevents healing

Ongoing Struggles and Resilience

• Despite social and legal progress, underrepresented groups continue to face adversity
  • Hate crimes and white supremacist violence target marginalized communities
  • Employment discrimination in hiring, pay and promotions
  • Racial profiling, police brutality and mass incarceration
  • Barriers to higher education and economic mobility
  • Environmental racism and exposure to health hazards
  • Lack of representation in government, business leadership, media
• Marginalized groups often have to be resilient and develop their own support systems
  • Building chosen family and community care networks
  • Reclaiming cultural identity and pride in the face of assimilation
  • Mutual aid, scholarships and mentorship to share resources
  • Activism and social movements to demand equity and inclusion
  • Storytelling to document history and imagine liberatory futures

Intersectionality of Marginalized Identities

Defining Intersectionality

• Intersectionality is the acknowledgement that people can have multiple, overlapping marginalized identities
  • Intersecting identities create unique experiences and challenges
  • Examples: being a queer woman of color, an immigrant with a disability, a transgender veteran
  • Term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw to address compounded oppression of Black women
  • Highlights diversity and complexity within social and political movements
  • Avoids oversimplification and one-size-fits-all solutions

Compounded Discrimination and Barriers

• People with intersecting marginalized identities often face compounded discrimination
  • Each identity carries its own stereotypes, microaggressions and systemic barriers
  • Unique inequities emerge at the intersection (transmisogyny, queerphobia in communities of color)
  • May feel excluded from or unable to fully fit into any one community
  • Discrimination in accessing public services and navigating bureaucracy
• Intersectionality can create unique challenges in healthcare
  • Lack of research and provider training on intersectional health needs
  • Discrimination and lack of cultural competency from medical providers
  • Inability to access or afford care that affirms all of one's identities
  • Health conditions that disproportionately impact certain intersecting identities

Advancing Intersectional Approaches

• Social movements and advocacy must take an intersectional approach to address compounded inequities
  • Avoid single-issue politics that leave multiply-marginalized groups behind
  • Build solidarity through acknowledging differences and working towards collective liberation
  • Practice intersectional feminism, disability justice, queer and trans people of color organizing
  • Advocate for policy changes and structural solutions that are intersectional
• Representation of intersecting identities matters, but tokenism should be avoided
  • Storytelling, art, media and leadership that reflect diverse intersectional experiences
  • Feeling seen and understood can reduce isolation and stigma
  • Tokenism places burden on individuals to represent whole communities
  • Equitable access and decision-making power must be prioritized over superficial diversity