Ideas worth spreading

The urgency of intersectionality

6,062,584 views |

Kimberlé Crenshaw |

TEDWomen 2016

• October 2016

Now more than ever, it's important to look boldly at the reality of race and gender bias -- and understand how the two can combine to create even more harm. Kimberlé Crenshaw uses the term "intersectionality" to describe this phenomenon; as she says, if you're standing in the path of multiple forms of exclusion, you're likely to get hit by both. In this moving talk, she calls on us to bear witness to this reality and speak up for victims of prejudice.

Now more than ever, it's important to look boldly at the reality of race and gender bias -- and understand how the two can combine to create even more harm. Kimberlé Crenshaw uses the term "intersectionality" to describe this phenomenon; as she says, if you're standing in the path of multiple forms of exclusion, you're likely to get hit by both. In this moving talk, she calls on us to bear witness to this reality and speak up for victims of prejudice.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speakers

Kimberlé Crenshaw

Kimberlé Crenshaw

Civil rights advocate

See speaker profile

As a pioneer in critical race theory, Kimberlé Crenshaw helped open the discussion of the double bind faced by victims of simultaneous racial and gender prejudice.

Abby Dobson

See speaker profile

Passionate about using music as a tool for empathy cultivation, Abby Dobson creates music to inspire audiences to reflect on the world we live in and engage in action to promote transformative social change.

Learn more

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.