Intersectional Identities Research Articles

The two ends of the tertiary education spectrum

Tertiary education over the past ten years has seen a significant increase in learner diversity and the variability. Learners today are not a homogeneous group, instead they bring a variety of rich cultures, abilities, multiple and intersectional identities, varied lived experiences, and educational backgrounds. What was once known as the non-traditional or under-represented learner, today it is more common experience with the increase in international learners, refugees, asylum seekers, neurodiverse learners, carers, vulnerable learners, widening participation and access learners. We know this variability exists with the increase in learners registered with the disability or wellbeing services, a targeted approach to recruiting international learners and the widening access and participation efforts. While variability and diversity should be celebrated it does require adequate resources and funding, inclusive support structures and systems to be put in place, as well providing staff professional development. With this change there is an opportunity through enhancement that involves ‘doing new things or doing established things in different ways’ (QAA Scotland 2022, p.6). Inclusive education, “understood as equal access and opportunities, has become a guiding principle of higher education agendas” (Timus et al. 2024, 473). Across institutions there is a plethora of inclusion allies, advocates, initiatives, strategies, polices and professional development supports, so why are so many learners leaving courses, not engaging, not attending and certainly not seeing the value of education. Is it the pendulum shift toward marketisation, commercialisation and privatisation that learners are not seeing institutions as spaces and places of equity and justice but factories where money needs to cross hands? Where on this spectrum is the balance for enhancement and could universal design and universal design for learning be at least the starting point?

Pain and development: interacting phenomena

Abstract For decades, clinicians and researchers have observed bidirectional relationships between child development and the pain experience in childhood. Pain in childhood is an inherently developmental phenomenon, embedded in an iterative, time-dependent process that reflects individual biological, behavioral, social, psychological, and environmental characteristics that unfold across the early life span. Childhood pain can have wide ranging effects on brain development in ways that contribute—for better and worse—to social, emotional, and cognitive well-being in childhood and on into adulthood. Atypical trajectories of development in the context of disorders such as autism, cerebral palsy, ADHD, and mood/anxiety disorders also contribute to unique childhood pain experiences. In this paper, pain will be considered as a determinant of development, and conversely development will be considered as a key determinant of a child's pain experience. We will discuss how intersectional identities (eg, gender, race, socioeconomic status) and associated social, structural, systemic, and physical environments influence the relationship between development and pain. Finally, we will identify what might be needed to think “developmentally” in ways that extend from the “bench side” in the lab to the “curb side” in the community, integrating a developmental perspective into research and clinical practice to achieve health accessibility and equity in pain care for all children across the developmental spectrum.

Client characteristics and early working alliance development: A person-centered research approach

Objective Certain client characteristics are associated with early working alliance difficulties in psychotherapy. However, there is limited quantitative evidence on whether combinations of these characteristics (e.g., intersectional identities, prior treatment experiences) are related to alliance development. The present study leveraged a person-centered research approach to examine profiles of early alliance development and differences in the latent class structure of client characteristics among alliance development profiles. Method Individual psychotherapy clients (N = 2,579) rated the working alliance for their first four sessions and self-reported demographics, treatment history, and psychological distress. Therapists provided their assessment of clients’ primary presenting concerns at baseline. Results Latent profile analysis revealed three profiles of working alliance development: high and stable, moderate and increasing, and low and stable. Follow-up person-centered analyses (multigroup confirmatory latent class analysis) indicated that clients in the alliance profiles differed in their combinations of clinical and demographic characteristics. For example, women of color with high baseline distress and a history of prior psychotherapy were over-represented in the low and stable alliance profile. Conclusion These results are consistent with recommendations to holistically consider how clients’ characteristics and experiences shape psychotherapy processes. Results also highlight the utility of person-centered quantitative methods in psychotherapy research.

A Systematic Literature Review of Intersectional Leadership in the Workplace: The Landscape and Framework for Future Leadership Research and Practice to Challenge Interlocking Systems of Oppression

Normalized, dominant leadership styles favoring masculinity and aggressiveness disregard the impact of intersectional social identities and inequities on leadership practices and perpetuate leadership gaps and inequities in organizations, for example, preventing women and people of color from advancing into leadership roles. This study aims to explore how intersectionality plays a role in workplace leadership and propose a framework for future leadership research and practice that foregrounds intersectionality. To achieve this aim, this study systematically classified and reviewed 160 empirical studies on intersectionality in leadership in work and organization contexts. Most studies described the leadership experiences and strategies of individuals from multiple marginalized, historically excluded (MMHE) groups and the factors that influence their leadership. Some studies presented the intersectional effects of leadership and illuminated relational and contextual aspects of the leadership process. We discussed tensions within the findings and proposed a framework for intersectional leadership based on the results of the literature review. We conclude with a call for illuminating intersectional leadership as a promising process to achieve organizational social justice.

The lived experiences of Women's identities and intersections in accessing social justice within the Ghanaian informal legal system: A phenomenological investigation

In sub-Saharan Africa, there is insufficient formal justice infrastructure in many countries, so informal courts play a significant role. This paper examines the intersections of women's identities and access to social justice within Ghana's informal court system. Using an exploratory qualitative research approach, the study involved 15 women who utilised the informal court system. Findings indicate that traditional gender roles, social harmony-based adjudication, and the social consequences of court decisions on family households hinder women's access to justice. While these courts are accessible and affordable, their decisions primarily focus on reconciliation, failing to provide women with equal access to social justice. The study emphasizes the need for promoting gender equity, enhancing fairness in informal justice mechanisms, and creating supportive environments for women's access to justice. It suggests socio-legal reforms to address socio-cultural barriers and promote gender equality within informal justice systems.

Academic Coverage of Online Activism of Disabled People: A Scoping Review

Disabled people need to be activists given the many problematic lived realities they face. However, they frequently encounter obstacles in traditional offline activism. Online activism could be a potential alternative. The objective of this scoping review is to examine the extent and nature of the coverage of disabled people in the academic literature that focuses on online activism. We searched the abstracts in Scopus, Web of Science, and the 70 databases in EBSCO-HOST for the presence of 57 terms linked to online activism or online tools or places for online activism, which generated 18,069 abstracts for qualitative analysis. Of the 18,069 abstracts, only 54 discussed online the activism by disabled people. Among these 54 relevant abstracts, only one contained the term “Global South”. No relevant abstracts were found that contained the terms “Metaverse” or “Democrac*” together with “activis*”. Only two relevant abstracts contained the phrase “digital citizen*”. Out of the 57 terms, 28 had no hits. The thematic analysis identified 24 themes: 6 themes in 30 abstracts had a positive sentiment, 7 themes in 30 abstracts had a negative sentiment, and 11 themes present in 23 abstracts had a neutral sentiment. There were three main themes: the positive role and use of online activism; the technical accessibility barriers to online activism; and the attitudinal accessibility problems arising from ableist judgments. The intersectionality of the disability identity with other marginalized identities and the issue of empowerment were rarely addressed, and ability judgment-based concepts beyond the term’s “ableism” and “ableist” were not used. The study underscores the necessity for further research given the few relevant abstracts found. The study also indicates that actions are needed on barriers to online activism and that examples for best practices exist that could be applied more often. Future studies should also incorporate a broader range of ability judgment-based concepts to enrich the analysis and to support the empowerment of disabled activists.

‘No woman’s land’: A study of women’s land rights in context of neoliberal dispossession and gender relations in India

Given the complex web of socio-cultural factors, intersectional features of gender identity and the recent trajectories of a lack of land resources, the rise of alternative gainful employment, and a feminization of agriculture, this paper investigates whether land rights are the ultimate panacea for women’s autonomy. Land can be a source of women’s empowerment albeit the patriarchal Indian society restricts women’s right to property. Women in India are not a homogenous category. They are defined by their intersectional identities of caste, class, ethnicity, stages in their life course and subjectivities regarding demands for land. A more nuanced approach to women’s land rights is proposed in view of the agrarian crisis, restricted social validity of women’s land claims and other factors. Research has been conducted including an analysis of various feminist and intersectional debates concerning land rights in India, government reports, legal judgements, and religious text, among others.

The potential of intersectional and reciprocal approaches in the education of newcomer students

ABSTRACT This study addresses the challenges faced by newcomer students in the host country’s education system. It emphasizes the importance of creating learning communities around these learners. To achieve this goal, we assisted various stakeholders including parents and educators in transcending language differences by examining each other’s educational system. Our approach aimed to cultivate positive identities within the context of transnational experiences, highlighting mobility as an asset in the host school system, challenging the prevailing deficit-oriented view of migration. Grounded in critical interculturalism and social justice principles, we studied STEM curricula from students’ home countries and created resources to encourage dialogue among school stakeholders. We proposed workshops for teachers and parents, emphasizing the recognition of intersectional identities and promoting reciprocal knowledge. Results show the effectiveness of intersectionality in understanding the complexities of individual trajectories while reciprocal knowledge revealed essential in fostering mutual understanding between families and teachers. Ultimately, the research seeks to revitalize literacy engagement for English Language Learners in STEM, promoting inclusivity and equity in education.

Using a Phenomenological and Fanon Analytic: A Methodological Framework and Method for Research with Impoverished Black Male Youth

While there is a good amount of general literature on the experiences of Black men in Canada, there is a paucity of empirical data regarding the specific lived experiences of first- and second-generation, Canadian-born, impoverished Black young men (ages 15–29). Black male youth are often impoverished due to anti-Black racism and classism, which together further social and economic barriers. While many methods of data collection and analysis provide a useful snapshot of the experiences of young Black men, many traditional methods are unable to highlight the nuance that lies in complex intersections of identity for Black young men experiencing poverty and un(der)employment. This article demonstrates the success of practices rooted in phenomenology to understand and articulate the unique, heterogeneous lived experiences of first- and second-generation impoverished Black young men who utilize youth employment training programs in three Canadian cities. Further, this article demonstrates how using Frantz Fanon’s scholarly work and applied phenomenology can inform future research on Black and other underserved youth who face complex marginalization.

Dance/movement interventions and students with disabilities: A critical review

This critical narrative review presents findings of physical activity interventions involving dance/movement for students with disabilities. This review describes the status of dance/movement intervention research supporting students’ intersectional identities, including disability. Dance/movement research from 2013 to 2023 was reviewed to identify the extent to which research addresses dimensions of students’ identities. First, dance/movement research is situated within physical activity intervention research. Next, findings from 82 dance/movement research studies within education and disability categories, including autism, physical, and social emotional dimensions is summarized. Of those studies, five studies address participants’ intersectional identities including disability. Positive outcomes of dance/movement interventions for students with disabilities include relationship building, well-being, individualized education, and cultural identity. Specific intervention techniques of mirroring, rhythm matching, and social collaboration with teachers and peers are identified as efficacious for improving students’ social-emotional, cognitive, and motor skills. Dance/movement interventions are also related to teachers’ awareness and affirmation of dimensions of students’ backgrounds and interests through student-centered dance/movement techniques. While the social-emotional, cognitive, and motor benefits are widely documented in the research, only a handful of studies address aspects of participants’ identities other than disability category and age. The findings of this review have implications for teachers’ increased self-awareness and knowledge of dance/movement intervention techniques in support of students’ developmental skill outcomes and intersecting identities, as well as for dance/movement intervention research that addresses multiple dimensions of students’ identities.

Intersectional Identity and Representative Politics

Representation scholarship has drawn from intersectionality theory 0to examine how systemic structures of oppression and privilege have created social groups with distinct political needs. Derived from Black feminist theory that recognizes that identities are mutually constitutive and interconnected, intersectionality research is rooted in the lived experiences of marginalized groups who call attention to social (in)justice. Empirical scholarship building on the insights of Black feminist theorists such as Collins and Bilge (2016), Hill Collins (1990), Crenshaw (1989; 1991), and King (1988) has constituted nothing less than a paradigm shift in the study of gender and politics. Nevertheless, there remain an array of opportunities to expand upon the potential for intersectional frameworks and methods, as well as pressing new questions concerning the operationalization of intersectionality itself. This Critical Perspectives section offers a moment to take stock of these developments and debates, as well as to highlight new pathways for scholarship committed to centering the margins and considering the nexus of multiple power structures that frame our political lives.

Arizona Mormon Youths’ Religious Socialization and 2020 Voting Choices

In Arizona, Mormonism has a historical presence as a conservative and globalized faith. Though the Mormon Church officially maintains political neutrality, it also encourages civic engagement. Through an analysis of interview data collected from 38 Mormon youth as part of the Arizona Youth Identity Project, this paper explores the enactment of political agency in reaction to complex socialization processes. Mormon youths’ voting choices in the 2020 election season were shaped by religious socialization and Mormonism as an “ethnoreligious” identity. While religious upbringing was important in political decision-making, our study found that most youth were politically unaffiliated and voted across party lines instead. Further, we analyze how intersectional identities such as gender, race, and sexual orientation contributed to this generation’s political values and voting outcomes, even creating external tensions with peers and older Mormon leadership. As Arizona Mormon youth participated in a historic election season, this study highlights the nuances of religious socialization and voting choices.

Governing the (in)visible: religious diversity, gender equality and LGBTQI+ rights in Catalonia

ABSTRACT The governance of religious diversity in contemporary Europe has had a long and complex history, one further complicated by the more recent crystallisation of progressive values such as gender equality and LGBTQI+ rights. In Catalonia, the political recognition and public visibility of religious diversity is marked by various tensions and negotiations amongst key local actors, especially where gender equality and LGBTQI+ rights are concerned. This contribution delves into the nuanced political dynamics surrounding the governance of religious plurality in three understudied cities of Catalonia: Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Vic, and Lleida. Our aim is twofold: firstly, to identify local-level mechanisms and protocols addressing the intersection of religious diversity, gender equality and LGBTQI+ rights. Secondly, to examine the challenges municipal actors face when engaging with the politics of these intersectional identities. Drawing on evidence from interviews with local stakeholders, observations of public events, and analysis of municipal plans and policies, we contend that while there are visible political efforts to promote diversity, equality, and coexistence, there remains a lack of cohesive strategies at the municipal level. Despite these challenges, stakeholders recognise the imperative and potential advantages of developing intersectional approaches.

Resilience Mechanisms and Coping Strategies for Forcibly Displaced Youth: An Exploratory Rapid Review.

Context: The global escalation of conflict, violence, and human rights violations sets a pressing backdrop for examining the resilience of forcibly displaced youth (FDY) in Canada. This study aims to unpack the multifaceted challenges and resilience mechanisms of FDY, focusing on their health, well-being, and integration into host communities. It seeks to identify current models of resilience, understand the factors within each model, and highlight gaps and limitations. Methodology: Using a university librarian-supported structured search strategy, this exploratory rapid review searched literature from Ovid Medline and open-source databases, published in English between January 2019 and January 2024, that fit specific inclusion criteria. The eligible articles (N = 12 out of 4096) were charted and analyzed by two student researchers with the Principal Investigator (PI). Charted data were analyzed thematically. Results: The selected studies captured diverse geographical perspectives, resilience models (such as Ungar's ecological perspective and Masten's resilience developmental models), as well as protective and promotive frameworks. Key findings indicate the complexity of resilience influenced by individual, familial, societal, and cultural factors. Each model offers insights into the dynamic interplay of these influences on FDY's resilience. However, these models often fall short of addressing the nuances of cultural specificity, the impact of trauma, and the intersectionality of FDY's identities. Conclusions: Recognizing the diverse and evolving nature of FDY's coping mechanisms, this study advocates for a culturally appropriate approach to resilience that integrates an intersectionality framework of individual attributes and culturally sensitive models.

A Qualitative Systematic Review of Stigma, Violence, Victimization, and Associated Coping Among Transgender People Engaged in Sex Work.

Globally, transgender people engaged in sex work experience disproportionately high risks of victimization. While qualitative studies on the perspectives of transgender people engaged in sex work can shed light on their intersecting experiences, a qualitative synthesis could offer a systematic understanding and inform anti-oppressive practices and policies. This review explores the experience of stigma, violence, victimization, and associated coping strategies among transgender people engaged in sex work. We conducted a literature search in November 2023 on MEDLINE, Social Work Abstracts, and CINAHL PLUS from EBSCOhost, APA PsycInfo, ASSIA, and Sociological Abstracts from ProQuest and SCOPUS (PROSPERO ID: CRD42023478844). From 1,085 studies retrieved, 64 were included in this review. Thematic synthesis identified seven themes: (a) individual struggle, (b) interpersonal violence, (c) community transphobia and exclusion, (d) systemic oppression, (e) individual coping strategies, (f) community resources, and (g) organizational support as coping resources. This review contributes to the discussion around the health vulnerabilities of transgender people engaged in sex work that inherently result from intersecting victimization in a larger global context, including trafficking, urban planning, migration, and COVID-19. Identification of the coping strategies of transgender people engaged in sex work also highlights their resilience and sites of empowerment. Policymakers and professionals should be mindful of the intersectional identities of transgender people engaged in sex work and initiate peer- and community-led interventions to support them in building intersectional solidarity and resisting victimization.

Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors Among Autistic Transgender or Gender-Nonconforming US College Students

Suicide risk is a global public health crisis, with suicide ranking as a consistent leading cause of death among adults in the US. Autistic individuals and transgender or gender-nonconforming (TGNC) individuals represent populations with notably elevated rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs). To characterize suicidal thoughts and behaviors among TGNC and autistic individuals, using a large, nationally representative sample. This study is a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from students at colleges and universities throughout the US who participated in the American College Health Association National College Health Assessment from 2019 to 2023. Autistic and TGNC identities were self-reported by participants. The frequency of intersectionality of autism and TGNC identities and whether those who had intersectional marginalized identities had increased likelihood of STBs were examined. STBs were self-reported by participants. A series of moderated regression analyses were performed to examine how the interaction between autism and possessing a marginalized gender identity (ie, TGNC status) was associated with STBs. The sample included 41 507 college students with a mean (SD) age of 23.35 (6.83) years. A total of 2410 participants (5.81%) identified as being TGNC. Overall, 326 TGNC participants (13.53%) also identified as autistic, whereas 625 of those who identified as cisgender (1.58%) also identified as autistic. Gender identity and autism were associated with greater odds of STBs. For suicidal ideation, gender identity had an odds ratio (OR) of 3.34 (95% CI, 2.99-3.73), and autism had an OR of 2.06 (95% CI, 1.76-2.42). For suicide attempts, gender identity had an OR of 2.74 (95% CI, 2.13-3.52), and autism had an OR of 2.39 (95% CI, 1.62-3.52). A significant interaction existed for attempts (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.27-0.97); nonautistic cisgender individuals had the lowest attempt rate. This cross-sectional study addresses the dearth of information on how intersectionality in gender and autism status impacts the risk of STBs, and the results confirm the elevated risk of STBs among TGNC and autistic populations. Interventions are needed to support college students with these identities.

“Love the sin, hate the sinner”: Attitudes Towards Sexuality Among Mainline and Evangelical Protestants in the USA

Abstract Introduction Attitudes towards gay and lesbian people and same-sex marriage remain a contentious issue within Evangelical Protestantism. Methods We use data from the Sexuality version of the Implicit Association Test from the Project Implicit website (n = 180,554) between 2006 and 2016. We investigate the attitudes of Atheists, Mainline Protestants and Evangelical Protestants towards gay and lesbian people and same-sex marriage. Results In an inversion of the typical mantra, Evangelical Protestant participants appear to “love the sin, hate the sinner,” with relatively high levels of approval for same-sex marriage combined with significant negative associations with gay and lesbian people. Further, we find significant differences between Mainline and Evangelical Protestants who are also gay, lesbian or bisexual compared to those who are heterosexual. Conclusions We discuss the cognitive dissonance between compassionate Christianity (“love thy neighbour”) and negative associations towards gay and lesbian people and the intersections of religious and sexual identities. Policy Implications. Results suggest that among Evangelical Protestants same-sex marriage is supported by a sizeable minority (40 + %). Efforts to improve attitudes towards same-sex marriage should focus on attempts to generate further improvements in attitudes among conservative Christians.

Experiences of Discrimination and Alcohol Involvement Among Young Adults at the Intersection of Race/Ethnicity and Gender.

Although discrimination is an important social determinant of alcohol involvement, there is a dearth of research testing these associations across race/ethnicity and gender. This is an important research gap given that experiences of discrimination and therefore links with alcohol involvement may vary as a function race/ethnicity and gender intersectional identities. We tested for measurement invariance in discrimination and alcohol involvement and examined group differences in means and covariances. The sample consisted of n = 1187 young adults (ages 18-26; n = 193 Black women, n = 209 Latina women, n = 186 White women, n = 198 Black men, n = 203 Latino men, and n = 198 White men). We found evidence for differential item functioning for discrimination and alcohol involvement that violated assumptions needed to make manifest between-group comparisons. To model the source and degree of differential item functioning, we used partial measurement invariance and dropped a discrimination item that did not reliably overlap with the latent factor for White women. After accounting for differential item functioning, Black women and men reported the highest discrimination, followed by Latinx women and men, and then White women and men. White women reported the most alcohol involvement, followed by White men, Latina women, Latino men, Black men, and Black women. Discrimination and alcohol involvement were positively associated for all groups except White women, though effect sizes varied with Black men exhibiting the largest effect. An intersectionally valid understanding of discrimination and alcohol involvement may necessitate statistical approaches that can test for (and model) differential item functioning prior to making between-group quantitative comparisons.

How Boys Deflect Responsibility for Street Harassment: Class, Race, and Responses to Sexual Violence Awareness Programs

This paper shows how boys respond to harassment awareness training programs and analyzes how such audiences might fail to see street harassment as ‘their’ problem (therefore deflecting responsibility for sexual violence). It is based on ethnographic observations of street harassment awareness programs organized in France and interviews with their participants. Boys’ intersectional identities informed how they responded to this program. Boys of color in schools in underprivileged areas argued that racism towards racialized men, rather than the latter’s behavior, often led white women to report being sexually harassed. White boys in schools located in more affluent areas avoided feeling responsible for street harassment by associating violent acts with working-class men or men of colour. I argue that boys are more likely to deflect responsibility for sexual violence when a training program insufficiently relates the message to their personal experiences and lifeworld.

Abstraction as Resistance to Racialized Surveillance: The Intersections of Art, Technology, and Identity in the Age of Computer Vision

Abstraction as Resistance to Racialized Surveillance: The Intersections of Art, Technology, and Identity in the Age of Computer Vision