Intersectionality
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Establish Session Values
What will make this class a safe space for everyone to talk, share and discuss freely? Talk about things that are close to our heart? Things that bother us to make us sad? How do we want others to behave? How will we behave? How can we make it easy for all of us to understand as well as enjoy these sessions together? Some values - based off behaving - that may support us in sharing and discussing openly are:
Listening to each other with respect
Speaking with respect for each other
Trust each other
Any other value on which we all want to mutually agree?
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Looking at intersectionality
Participants make groups of 4 persons
Each group discusses the various identities that members of the group have. Which of these identities are important in the context of gender roles and sexuality?
Each group imagines that they have gone to another country to represent their institution in a cross cultural exchange program. What identities would the group now consider very important?
40 minutes:
Each group presents what they have noted. Session is held after this is completed
Group Activity
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What is Intersectionality
An analytical framework to understand how different aspects of one’s identity intersect and overlap and impact experiences of discrimination and inequality
Plays an important role in understanding how power and oppression operate and marginalize�Examples:
Dark skinned (disadvantage) woman (disadvantage)
Rich (advantage) woman (disadvantage)
Educated (advantage) trans-man (disadvantage)
Man (advantage) Lawyer (advantage) Gay (disadvantage)
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Overlapping Identities
Source
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Some social identities that impact discrimination
Class
Caste
Tribal identity
Disability
Religion
Citizenship
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Gender, socio-economic status
People of different gender and sexual identities face different forms of discrimination.
But there are other overlapping social identities that play a role in how a people of same gender might face different discriminations.
Example: poor woman might be discriminated differently compared to a rich woman.
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Why do we need to talk about it
Helps us identify the challenges different individuals face and how it forms their personality and worldview.
Helps us use our core counselling (Unconditional positive regard, empathy and genuineness) and problem-solving skills more effectively.
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Broaching intersectionality
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Implicit Bias
Everyone holds certain implicit and unconscious biases that impacts their perceptions and judgements of others
People who intend to be fair might display biases unconditionally
Biases are destructive and can hamper our judgement and impact our counselling skills
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Implicit Bias
Everyone holds certain implicit and unconscious biases that impacts their perceptions and judgements of others
People who intend to be fair might display biases unconditionally
Biases are destructive and can hamper our judgement and impact our counselling skills
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Marginalization
Have you ever felt marginalized?
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Reflection Questions
How does intersectionality help me understand the impact of the work I do with my clients/ people I serve/ people I work with?
How does intersectionality help me understand the person in their entirety rather than just their presenting problem?
Can I look at the organization that I am a part of from an intersectional lens? How will it change my perspective?
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Intersectionality in the counselling profession
Source
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Case Study for counsellors
David is a 30-year-old African-American man who is unemployed. His wife who is an Indian woman, however, is employed and comes from a wealthy family. David has reported struggling with his anger and hitting his wife in frustration as he sometimes feels like he is not ‘man enough’ but feels guilty later. He wants to get his emotions under control and wants a loving relationship with his wife.
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Competent strategies for counselors
Group and individual activities to address intersectionality
Treatment planning and discussion with supervisor
Advocacy and self-reflection
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Slide 4
This PowerPoint is part of a project to prevent gender based violence. This project is supported by Ford Foundation.
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Slide 9
Thank You!
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