Intersectionality theory proposes that each of us has multiple identities that we carry with us and that these identities combine in a series of complex interactions. How might this affect behavior in the workplace?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Intersectionality theory promotes the idea that each person experiences bias in a unique way because we simultaneously carry multiple and complex identities and these identities interact with each other (Crenshaw, 1989; McBride et al., 2015). In a recent study, Ro and Loya (2015) examined gender and race intersectionality among engineering students, examining learning outcomes related to core competencies for the engineering programs. Results from this study showed that the influence of gender on learning outcomes differed by race and ethnicity. For example, for three of the learning outcomes—design, contextual competence, and communication skills—Black women rated themselves significantly lower than White women. There was no statistically significant difference between Black and White men. As this finding illustrates, it is the combination of identities (in this case, race and gender) that produces a particular outcome and this experience may be unacknowledged if the two identities were examined separately.