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A video outlining intersectionality and the problems of avoiding or pretending it doesn't exist

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An uplifting graphic showing that anyone can be wonderful

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An infograph helping define intersectionality

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An article outlining the birth of the term intersectionality and why its still a pressing issue

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Mourners arrive to mourn the death of Sandra Bland at the DuPage African Methodist Episcopal Church in Lisle, Ill. <br/> (AP Photo/Christian K. Lee)

Each week, In Theory Kimberlé Crenshaw is the executive director of the African American Policy Forum and a professor of law at Columbia University and the University of California, Los Angeles, law schools. takes on a big idea in the news and explores it from a range of perspectives. This week we're talking about intersectionality. Need a primer? Catch up here. Opinions to start the day, in your inbox. Sign up.
Intersectionality was a lived reality before it became a term.

Today, nearly three decades after I first put a name to the concept, the term seems to be everywhere. But if women and girls of color continue to be left in the shadows, something vital to the understanding of intersectionality has been lost.

In 1976, Emma DeGraffenreid and several other black women sued General Motors for discrimination, arguing that the company segregated its workforce by race and gender: Blacks did one set of jobs and whites did another. According to the plaintiffs' experiences, women were welcome to apply for some jobs, while only men were suitable for others. This was of course a problem in and of itself, but for black women the consequences were compounded. You see, the black jobs were men's jobs, and the women's jobs were only for whites. Thus, while a black applicant might get hired to work on the floor of the factory if he were male; if she were a black female she would not be considered. Similarly, a woman might be hired as a secretary if she were white, but wouldn't have a chance at that job if she were black. Neither the black jobs nor the women's jobs were appropriate for black women, since they were neither male nor white. Wasn't this clearly discrimination, even if some blacks and some women were hired?

Unfortunately for DeGraffenreid and millions of other black women, the court dismissed their claims. Why? Because the court believed that black women should not be permitted to combine their race and gender claims into one. Because they could not prove that what happened to them was just like what happened to white women or black men, the discrimination that happened to these black women fell through the cracks.
[Intersectionality: A Primer]
It was in thinking about why such a "big miss" could have happened within the complex structure of anti-discrimination law that the term "intersectionality" was born. As a young law professor, I wanted to define this profound invisibility in relation to the law. Racial and gender discrimination overlapped not only in the workplace but in other other arenas of life; equally significant, these burdens were almost completely absent from feminist and anti-racist advocacy. Intersectionality, then, was my attempt to make feminism, anti-racist activism, and anti-discrimination law do what I thought they should - highlight the multiple avenues through which racial and gender oppression were experienced so that the problems would be easier to discuss and understand.

Intersectionality is an analytic sensibility, a way of thinking about identity and its relationship to power. Originally articulated on behalf of black women, the term brought to light the invisibility of many constituents within groups that claim them as members, but often fail to represent them. Intersectional erasures are not exclusive to black women. People of color within LGBTQ movements; girls of color in the fight against the school-to-prison pipeline; women within immigration movements; trans women within feminist movements; and people with disabilities fighting police abuse - all face vulnerabilities that reflect the intersections of racism, sexism, class oppression, transphobia, able-ism and more. Intersectionality has given many advocates a way to frame their circumstances and to fight for their visibility and inclusion.

Intersectionality has been the banner under which many demands for inclusion have been made, but a term can do no more than those who use it have the power to demand. And not surprisingly, intersectionality has generated its share of debate and controversy.

Conservatives have painted those who practice intersectionality as obsessed with "identity politics." Of course, as the DeGraffenreid case shows, intersectionality is not just about identities but about the institutions that use identity to exclude and privilege. The better we understand how identities and power work together from one context to another, the less likely our movements for change are to fracture.
[Why Equal Protection may not protect everyone equally.]
Others accuse intersectionality of being too theoretical, of being "all talk and no action." To that I say we've been "talking" about racial equality since the era of slavery and we're still not even close to realizing it. Instead of blaming the voices that highlight problems, we need to examine the structures of power that so successfully resist change.

Some have argued that intersectional understanding creates an atmosphere of bullying and "privilege checking." Acknowledging privilege is hard - particularly for those who also experience discrimination and exclusion. While white women and men of color also experience discrimination, all too often their experiences are taken as the only point of departure for all conversations about discrimination. Being front and center in conversations about racism or sexism is a complicated privilege that is often hard to see.

Although the president's recent call to support black women was commendable, undertaking intersectional work requires concrete action to address the barriers to equality facing women and girls of color in U.S. society.

Intersectionality alone cannot bring invisible bodies into view. Mere words won't change the way that some people - the less-visible members of political constituencies - must continue to wait for leaders, decision-makers and others to see their struggles. In the context of addressing the racial disparities that still plague our nation, activists and stakeholders must raise awareness about the intersectional dimensions of racial injustice that must be addressed to enhance the lives of all youths of color.
Explore these other perspectives:
This is why we continue the work of the #WhyWeCantWait Campaign, calling for holistic and inclusive approaches to racial justice. It is why "Say Her Name" continues to draw attention to the fact that women too are vulnerable to losing their lives at the hands of police. And it is why thousands have agreed that the tragedy in Charleston, S.C., demonstrates our need to sustain a vision of social justice that recognizes the ways racism, sexism and other inequalities work together to undermine us all. We simply do not have the luxury of building social movements that are not intersectional, nor can we believe we are doing intersectional work just by saying words.
Latoya Peterson: Intersectionality is not a label. Lauren Sudeall Lucas: Why Equal Protection may not protect everyone equally. Alyssa Rosenberg: How 'Orange Is the New Black' wins at illustrating identity
Brittney Cooper: Black lives matter - all of them.

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Opinion | Why intersectionality can't wait

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Each week, In Theory Kimberlé Crenshaw is the executive director of the African American Policy Forum and a professor of law at Columbia University and the University of California, Los Angeles, law schools. takes on a big idea in the news and explores it from a range of perspectives.

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A picture of women coming together to fight for women's right to abortion

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A variety of ways feminists have made a difference in the past and present

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"We're gathered to celebrate Women's History Month, but I don't celebrate Women's History Month," announced writer Mona Charen, one of the panelists at the Heritage Foundation's recent panel on feminism and happiness. "It doesn't interest me whether a person who happens to share my chromosomes sits in the Oval Office. It doesn't interest me how many women members of the Senate there are." No, Charen continued, one of the things that interests her the most about Women's History Month is how "feminism has done so much damage to happiness."

It was a bold statement, and one that set the tone for the conservative foundation's panel discussion among a group of conservative writers and academics addressing an audience of mostly male interns. During the meeting, the attendees waxed poetic about the failures of the "project" known as , spending hours decrying the perceived failures of the women's movement in America.

But that's simply not true.

It may seem like a bizarrely obvious statement, but somewhere between earning women the right to vote, pushing through legislation opening up universities to female students and advancing the civil rights movement (to name just a very few examples), feminism has indeed made life much, much better (and as a result, happier) - not just for American women, but American men as well. Far removed from the stereotypical and inaccurate image of the bra-burning activist, feminists have proven time and time again that women's rights are human rights. And as the Declaration of Independence so elegantly points out, the ideals of life and liberty are intrinsically tied up with that third pursuit: happiness.

Yes, feminism has changed the world. And yes, it has made people happier. To argue otherwise, as the Heritage Foundation panelists attempted to do in Washington, is to show blatant disregard (or willful ignorance) for the historical record. It is also an argument that insults the legacies of centuries of badass feminists who have bravely fought, failed and ultimately prevailed in the ongoing struggle to empower the marginalized and elevate the disenfranchised. A comprehensive list of these achievements would be far too long, but here we've compiled a pocket edition, just in case you ever run across someone who honestly believes feminism has made the world an unhappier place.

1. They quietly propelled the civil rights movement.

Everyone knows about Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, but most Americans don't know about the other women involved in organizing the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

In her book, At he Dark End of the Street, Danielle McGuire recounts the many women who copied and distributed fliers, effectively leading the boycott, not only to protest segregation but to fight back against sexual assault. That fight, against the ritualistic rape of black women by white men in the South, had begun generations before Parks, who is rarely granted credit for the breadth and depth of the feminist work she did.

2. They made Americans get serious about gender discrimination.

The Equal Rights Amendment, first written by Alice Paul in 1923, read, "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex."

Proposed as a constitutional amendment that would guarantee all women have equal rights under the U.S. Constitution, the ERA failed to be ratified in dramatic fashion in the late 1970s.

However, the fight to get the ERA passed signaled a monumental shift in American society and sparked a new debate about the role of women and how they should be treated, pushing many states to draft their own gender discrimination laws.

3. They brought women out of the household - if they so chose.

Anti-feminist activist Phyllis Schlafly recently argued that women don't need equal pay: "Another fact is the influence of hypergamy, which means that women typically choose a mate (husband or boyfriend) who earns more than she does. Men don't have the same preference for a higher-earning mate. ... Suppose the pay gap between men and women were magically eliminated. If that happened, simple arithmetic suggests that half of women would be unable to find what they regard as a suitable mate."

Thank goodness she's just a relic.

In reality, the women's movement has brought women out of the household and into the workplace. Women of color who were already working were joined by housewives in the labor force, which fundamentally changed the economy.

Changes catalyzed by feminism have closed the between men and women from 62 to 77 cents on the dollar, though there's still a long way to go. But feminism should be credited for changing the conversation around what types of work women can do and what they demand to be paid for it.

4. They called out rape culture.

"Date rape" isn't something that feminists made up. And contrary to some terribly inaccurate statements made by conservatives, it was feminism that helped begin to remove some of the stigma surrounding sexual assault, giving survivors the language to label their sexual trauma.

The fact is, 1 in 5 women will experience an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. This is a problem of epidemic proportions, and we should all be talking about it, not sweeping it under the rug and blaming feminists for being hysterical.

Increasingly, young feminists are starting to taking active roles in the fight against violence, as well. The recent wave of activism on college campuses to , as well as the movement, highlight some of the ways young women are working to protect their own bodies, while creating safe spaces to learn and thrive.

5. They used online feminism to give the marginalized a voice.

Online feminism is responsible for some of the movement's most high-profile recent victories. The backlash against the Komen foundation for pulling Planned Parenthood funding for political reasons, forcing the takedown of anti-choice billboards in downtown Manhattan, as well as the response to Rush Limbaugh's sexist attacks on Sandra Fluke, feminism is alive and well.

Feminist blogs are among the most popular on the web and stories about women and the issues that impact their lives are creating the space for important conversations about inequality. Further, online spaces have allowed for people living on the margins to find a proper audience, whether domestically or abroad, and this has opened discourse on intersectionality and transnational feminism.

6. They pushed pop culture icons to join the fight.

When Beyoncé explicitly labeled herself a feminist on her latest album, feminists everywhere rejoiced at the opportunity to introduce young women to the fight against sexism. That mainstream entry point, even more crucial for marginalized women, has been opened by popular artists in the past, however, including Madonna, Cindy Lauper, MC Lyte, TLC and Queen Latifah. These proud ladies have inspired young people to be fiercely independent and opposed to injustice - and to not be afraid of the feminist label.

In other corners of the entertainment industry, role models like Lena Dunham, Lupita Nyong'o, Ashley Judd, Laverne Cox, Kerry Washington and Janet Mock have all taken up the call for equality, representing a cultural shift in how we perceive women, women of color and the feminist identity.

7. They helped pass Title IX, opening new educational possibilities.

Although Title IX is commonly associated with compelling colleges and universities to support women's athletics, one of the biggest and most immediate impacts of the law affected women enrolling in law and medical schools.

Indeed, opened up huge opportunities for women, ensuring them equal access to higher education. Today, women make up 58% of college undergraduates - an undeniable improvement in the lives of women everywhere.

8. They took on campus sexual assault.

Title IX also protects women from gender discrimination on college campuses. Under Title IX and the , students are guaranteed the right to an education without sexual harassment and violence.

Feminist activists have been working tirelessly all over the country to file complaints against their universities for inadequate handling of sexual assault cases, in order to make campuses safe for everyone.

9. They put a human face to sexual harassment.

In 1991, a young law professor named Anita Hill took the nation by storm. Hill's bravery in the face of a sexist interrogation by the Senate Judiciary Committee forced the country to finally take sexual harassment seriously.

During the confirmation hearings of now Justice Clarence Thomas, Hill, Thomas' former assistant, testified that he habitually sexually harassed her. At the time, instead of questioning Thomas' actions, the media and the Senate interrogated the unflinching Hill.

Journalist David Brock attempted to paint Hill as "a little bit nutty and a little bit slutty," and numerous conservatives accused the poised law professor as a woman scorned motivated by political ideology.

As a result of Hill's act, women around the country realized they did not have to suffer harassment in silence.

"I think people are well aware that they have a right to come forward," Hill said recently, looking back on the hearings. "But many people have a fear that the processes will not give them a fair hearing. Even for those who complain, I think we've fallen down in terms of the investigative process.

"We still have a lot of challenges in terms of making sure that the people who are found guilty of harassment suffer the consequences of their behavior."

10. They fought legal discrimination in the nation's highest courts.

Before she was a Supreme Court justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a feminist in her own right, arguing gender discrimination cases before the Supreme Court as a young lawyer with the ACLU.

The unequal treatment that Ginsburg received as a student at Harvard Law School shaped her staunch feminist principles and inspired her work to fight for equality.

In Ginsburg's words, "Women's rights are an essential part of the overall human rights agenda, trained on the equal dignity and ability to live in freedom all people should enjoy."

11. They stormed the Beltway's Boys Club.

In 1992, the 93rd Congress was deemed the "year of the woman" as more women were elected. The number of women in public office has only grown over the years, and the Senate currently boasts 20 women, the highest total in American history.

As the number of females in Congress rises, so does the profile of women's issues. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), arguably one of the most successful speakers in history, has helped pass several pieces of feminist legislation, including the Violence Against Women Act, which was originally passed in 1994 but was reauthorized in 2013.

The saying goes, "the personal is political," and the Center for Women in Politics found in multiple studies that interview men and women elected officials and found that women are much more likely to propose a women's rights bill or a piece of legislation that improves the lives of women and families.

More women in office is good, but more women with feminist ideals is even better and the legislation is proof.

12. They broke barriers for little girls with presidential aspirations.

Before there was Hillary, there was. Shirley Chisholm, a fiery congresswoman from New York, was the first black woman to run for president n 1972. When she announced her historic candidacy, Chisolm cut right to the point.

"I am not the candidate of black America, although I am black and proud," she said. "I am not the candidate of the women's movement of this country, although I am a woman and I am equally proud of that. I am the candidate of the people, and my presence before you now symbolizes a new era in American political history."

13. They joined in the struggle for marriage equality.

To outsiders, marriage equality is not always viewed as a feminist issue. But for years feminists have worked tirelessly to help roll back discriminatory laws and strike down marriage bans in state after state. The question is no longer "if" same-sex couples will have equal rights and the ability to marry the person they love, but when.

14. They demonstrated why revolutions must include the female perspective.

Global feminism deserves its own list, as there are countless number of examples of women leading in protest movements for equal rights across the globe. Most recently, numerous women-led organizations, including mobilized around the work of many women activists who participated in the so-called "Arab Spring" restructurings.

Women's rights activists throughout the Middle East fight for equal rights and demand an end to violence against women. This robust landscape has lead to real improvements, including several proactive anti-harassment campaigns that have sprung up in Egypt.

15. They realized a balanced court is a happier court.

For the first time in American history three women are simultaneously sitting on the nation's highest bench. The seasoned Justice Ginsburg was joined by fellow liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan during the first term of the Obama presidency - and they hit the ground running.

More recently, during the oral arguments in Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., the case that seeks to challenge to the Affordable Care Act's contraception mandate, these justices showed their feminist cred. Justice Kagan noted that women are "quite tangibly harmed" when they are unable to afford contraception.

16. They forced Americans to recognize the importance of birth control.

Women were instrumental in electing President Barack Obama, and feminists therefore were at the forefront to hold the administration accountable after the election.

One of their biggest pushes was ensuring that a contraception coverage was a part of the benefits of the Affordable Care Act. When Republicans and bluedog Democrats were putting the mandate in danger, it was the feminist conscience of the Obama administration, Valerie Jarrett, who spoke up and helped ensure it was included in the final bill.

17. They focused attention on domestic workers' rights.

Feminist labor leaders are changing the face of the labor movement and refocusing their efforts on the rights of domestic workers, mainly nannies, home care workers and housekeepers, many of whom earn less than the minimum wage. In 2010, New York passed a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights that gave domestic workers the right to overtime pay and paid sick days.

18. They helped create the White House's Council on Women and Girls.

Chaired by Jarrett, the White House Council on Women and Girls was created just a few months after Obama was sworn in.

At the signing of the executive order, Obama said the council's purpose is "to ensure that each of the [federal] agencies in which they're charged takes into account the needs of women and girls in the policies they draft, the programs they create, the legislation they support."

The true purpose of our government, Obama continued, is "to ensure that in America, all things are still possible for all people."

19. They worked to eradicate back-alley abortions.

The landmark case Roe v. Wade and subsequent cases upholding women's constitutional right to privacy and choice to terminate a pregnancy if necessary has been under assault since it became a crowning feminist achievement in 1973.

20. They made the workplace a little more equal - for everyone.

The first piece of legislation Obama signed into law was the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which gave women more time to sue an employer that paid them unfairly. Without pressure from feminist thinkers and women in public office who refuse to accept the status quo - where women make less for the same work as a man - the pay gap would likely be bigger than it is today.

As it stands now women on average make only 77 cents for every dollar a man makes, and that number gets worse for black and latina women. It's telling how far we have to go that this legislation was considered controversial when it was just making a common-sense adjustment to an existing law.

21. They proved that the next big thing in science could be discovered by a woman.

Are you a young women in the sciences? Feminism had something to do with that. The movement created the space for women to take the leap into fields historically filled with men. First lady Michelle Obama has been a fierce advocate for the importance of steering girls toward careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

"If we're going to out-innovate and out-educate the rest of the world, we've got to open doors for everyone," she said. "We need all hands on deck, and that means clearing hurdles for women and girls as they navigate careers in science, technology, engineering and math."

Women in STEM jobs earn 33 percent more than those in non-STEM occupations and experience a smaller wage gap relative to men. While women remain at a plateau of under representation in STEM careers, more women are graduating with related degrees, hopefully for telling a more promising future.

22. They earned women the right to vote.

Perhaps the greatest feminist achievement was helping women win the right to vote, as well as the right for female political candidates. The suffrage movement of the early 20th century culminated in 1920 with the passage of the 20th Amendment. Its now famous words, "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex" have shaped the course of history.

23. They argued that, "Women's rights are human rights."

Who can make a list about feminism in 2014 without mentioning Hillary Clinton? The former Secretary of State, primed to run for president again in 2016, will always be known as a hero for women and girls because of her speech to the United Nations in 1995.

"I believe that, on the eve of a new millennium, it is time to break our silence," she said. "It is time for us to say here in Beijing, and the world to hear, that it is no longer acceptable to discuss women's rights as separate from human rights.

"If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, it is that human rights are women's rights. And women's rights are human rights."

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23 Ways Feminists Have Made the World Better for Women

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"We're gathered to celebrate Women's History Month, but I don't celebrate Women's History Month," announced writer Mona Charen, one of the panelists at the Heritage Foundation's recent panel on feminism and happiness. "It doesn't interest me whether a person who happens to share my chromosomes sits in the Oval Office.

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A website by and for young feminists aiming for positive change towards women's rights

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Organizing creatively, facing an increasing threat

Young feminist activists play a critical role in women's rights organizations and movements worldwide by bringing up new issues that feminists face today. Their strength, creativity and adaptability are vital to the sustainability of feminist organizing.

At the same time, they face specific impediments to their activism such as limited access to funding and support, lack of capacity-building opportunities, and a significant increase of attacks on young women human rights defenders. This creates a lack of visibility that makes more difficult their inclusion and effective participation within women's rights movements.

A multigenerational approach

AWID's young feminist activism program was created to make sure the voices of young women are heard and reflected in feminist discourse. We want to ensure that young feminists have better access to funding, capacity-building opportunities and international processes. In addition to supporting young feminists directly, we are also working with women's rights activists of all ages on practical models and strategies for effective multigenerational organizing.

Our Actions

We want young feminist activists to play a role in decision-making affecting their rights by:

Fostering community and sharing information through the Young Feminist Wire. Recognizing the importance of online media for the work of young feminists, our team launched the Young Feminist Wire in May 2010 to share information, build capacity through online webinars and e-discussions, and encourage community building.

Researching and building knowledge on young feminist activism, to increase the visibility and impact of young feminist activism within and across women's rights movements and other key actors such as donors.

Promoting more effective multigenerational organizing, exploring better ways to work together.

Supporting young feminists to engage in global development processes such as those within the United Nations

Collaboration across all of AWID's priority areas, including the Forum, to ensure young feminists' key contributions, perspectives, needs and activism are reflected in debates, policies and programs affecting them.

Young feminists are active and key constituencies of women's movements around the world in impacting social change for the realization of women's rights and justice.

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Young feminist activists play a critical role in women's rights organizations and movements worldwide by bringing up new issues that feminists face today. Their strength, creativity and adaptability are vital to the sustainability of feminist organizing.

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A movement challenging boys and men to action against negative inequalities that women face around the world

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HeForShe is an invitation for men and people of all genders to stand in solidarity with women to create a bold, visible and united force for gender equality. The men of HeForShe aren't on the sidelines. They're working with women and with each other to build businesses, raise families, and give back to their communities.

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HeForShe is an invitation for men and people of all genders to stand in solidarity with women to create a bold, visible and united force for gender equality. The men of HeForShe aren't on the sidelines. They're working with women and with each other to build businesses, raise families, and give back to their communities.

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10 hours of walking through NYC as a Woman

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10 hours of walking through NYC as a Woman

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A silent form of activism bringing to light comments women experience from total strangers on the streets

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Defining intersectionality

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A list of some common gender stereotypes

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A twitter bot that responds to posts that imply there are only 2 genders

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Post with 128670 views. Shared by JixxyJexxy. ಠ~ಠ

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A few terms to aid in the understanding of gender

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Statistics debunking some of the more common 'transgender regret' myths

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An outside look on unknown privileges Christians may take for granted

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Respect for your religious traditions? The ability to practice your faith without being ostracized? Having Starbucks print your religious holidays on their cups?

When you're used to celebrations of your religion everywhere you go, recognizing that some people don't share your religion can feel like something's being taken away from you.

The Starbucks red cup controversy reminds me of the "War on Christmas" - a concept that confused me when I first heard it at around twelve years old. Discussions about Christianity being "under attack" were all over the news.

The topic came up during a Christmas celebration at my aunt's house, which was decorated with wreaths and plaques reading "Jesus Is the Reason for the Season." My aunts and uncles complained that some stores' employees were saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas."

"But isn't that because people are celebrating other holidays?" I asked.

That was the problem, they said - focusing on all holidays instead of only Christmas. That didn't sound right to me, but I stayed quiet.

I'd go back and give my young self a high five if I could.

Because there was nothing wrong with questioning the message of that conversation. My relatives were demonstrating what it means to have Christian privilege - and it's important to recognize that.

I think back to their belief that hearing "Happy Holidays" means Christianity is "under attack," and then I consider what Sofi Ali-Khan wrote in her heartbreaking letter to non-Muslim allies :

"The rhetoric about Muslims has gotten so nasty - and it's everywhere, on every channel, every newsfeed. It is clearly fueling daily events of targeted violence, vandalism, vigilante harassment, and discrimination.

"I want you to know that it has gotten bad enough that my family and I talk about what to keep on hand if we need to leave quickly, and where we should go, maybe if the election goes the wrong way, or if folks get stirred up enough to be dangerous before the election..."

In this moment, violent Islamophobic attitudes are everywhere, led largely by presidential candidates like Donald Trump - people who have a chance of holding the most powerful position in the US.

American Muslims fear for their lives, while American Christians can find time to complain about cups at Starbucks - this is what Christian privilege looks like.

It's not about playing the Oppression Olympics of who has it worse - but the truth is, there's no comparison at all. Being Christian in the US comes with the benefit of not having prominent political figures incite violence against you.

We have to recognize that everyone who's not Christian is at a disadvantage. Valuing religious freedom means we have to do something about it.

What Is Christian Privilege?

Christian privilege is a set of advantages that benefit Christians, but not people who practice other religions or no religion at all.

It shows up in many places throughout the world, especially Western countries. While there are some places where Christians are persecuted for their faith, here in the United States, Christianity is treated as the norm.

That means that American Christians - even those who aren't particularly religious - can openly express their faith, while people affiliated with other religions or no religion are othered and marginalized for practicing theirs.

Compare that experience with being a Muslim who's profiled by law enforcement, targeted for violent attacks, and disparaged by politicians.

Americans often cite "freedom of religion" as a reason to be proud of our country. But the truth is, only Christians are free to practice their faith openly - and everyone else is systematically oppressed for doing so.

Does Having Privilege Mean Christians Are Bad People?

If you're a Christian, you might be skeptical about the idea of having privilege, and there's a reason for that. When you're used to being treated as normal, it's easy to forget that the normalization of one group comes at a cost for people who don't fit the "norm."

I'm not saying you're doing something wrong by practicing your faith.

Just like male privilege and white privilege don't mean that all men or all white folks are bad people, discussing Christian privilege isn't an attack on Christianity itself. I'm well aware that many Christians are good people who'd never mean to ostracize others for their religious beliefs.

I can tell you the long story of my faith journey another time. But for now, suffice to say that I was raised as a Christian, and throughout my adult life, I've been in and out of churches and faith communities.

So I've benefitted from Christian privilege - and I've also spent time questioning why I've received perks denied to folks who aren't Christian.

And believe me, I know being a Christian in the US doesn't always mean you have it easy.

Christianity as a whole has caused a lot of pain by marginalizing, forcibly converting, and abusing people who aren't Christian. And while there's nothing inherently wrong with practicing Christianity, all Christians in the US get to benefit somehow from the way Christianity insists on being the dominant norm in this country.

And we need to be aware of that and stand for religious freedom for everyone - instead of feeling entitled to trampling over other people's beliefs as a way of expressing our own.

If your faith is important to you, then you have some idea of how critically important it is for everyone to be able to practice their own faith or to not be religious at all.

So here are some of the many ways Christian privilege shows up in our society.

1. You Get Time Off for Your Major Religious Holidays

It's so common to get days like Christmas and Easter off from work and school that many people don't think twice about it. Christmas is a federally recognized holiday, and every year, our entire country shifts to focus on it in stores, schools, and workplaces.

But not everyone celebrates Christmas. The widespread assumption that everyone does can harm people of other faiths - many of whom can't ask for time off for their holidays without risk of being penalized or ostracized.

For instance, as Miri Mogilevsky pointed out in her article on how Christian privilege shows up during the holidays, lots of people inaccurately refer to Hanukkah as "Jewish Christmas" - revealing that they regard Christmas as the default winter holiday.

If you're an employer, you might even think giving employees time off in winter means Jewish employees get "their version" of Christmas off, too.

Actually, Miri says, "the Jewish version of the 'holiday season' takes place early in fall and includes Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), and the days before and between them."

Treating Christmastime like it's the only important holiday season excludes everyone else from the privilege of spending important days with their loved ones.

2. You Can Wear Symbols of Your Religion Without Being Stereotyped as Dangerous

I can wear a cross around my neck without expecting anyone to bat an eye at it.

But for people like Muslims and Sikhs, wearing symbols of their faith comes with the risk of harassment and abuse.

After tragedies like 9/11 and the Paris terrorist attacks, Islamophobic violence rises . Muslims (and Sikhs erroneously identified as Muslims) have had law enforcement called on them, been verbally attacked, physically assaulted, and even killed just for wearing a head covering in public .

3. If You're Tried in Court, You're Likely to Be Judged by a Jury That Shares Your Faith

With Christianity so commonly treated as the norm, it's unlikely that jurors would hold your Christian faith against you. Someone who practices a faith that's seen as strange or dangerous doesn't get that benefit.

4. Politicians Who Create and Uphold Laws Are Likely to Share Your Faith

Society's bias toward Christianity is also clear around election time. Christians running for office can openly share their faith without losing votes.

In fact, being a practicing Christian often works in favor of political candidates. How many times has the image of a presidential candidate attending church with his family come up as a positive picture?

As a result, Christians make up the majority of the leaders who establish the laws we're all expected to live by - and that's not because other people aren't running for office.

It's nothing like the respect and support Christian leaders get in return for expressing their faith.

5. Politicians Who Share Your Faith Can Base Decisions on Their Religion

People who aren't Christian might not be harmed by Christian leadership if we actually had separation of Church and State.

The constitution says we do - but the reality is that Christianity influences the government every day.

From shutting down abortion clinics, to placing creationism and abstinence only education in schools, to spending years blocking marriage equality, Christian politicians can effectively apply their religious beliefs as law, without being labeled extremists.

Of course, that's not much of a perk for a , , sex positive Christian like me. But even though my interpretation of Christianity is very different from conservative politicians', I recognize that people in positions of authority can cite Christianity in decisions affecting the whole country.

I can't ignore that this gives me certain advantages, like having our leaders cite prayer as a source of comfort after tragedies. That's not everyone's preferred method of coping, but it works for me, and it's assumed that it works for everyone else, too.

6. You Aren't Asked to Speak on Behalf of Your Entire Faith

Sometimes people try to speak on behalf of all of Christianity, and when they're people like conservative politicians trying to limit abortion access, I really wish they'd stop.

That kind of rhetoric spreads misconceptions about who I am as a Christian, and that's frustrating to deal with. But Christian domination - especially conservative, evangelical domination - is to blame for that. It's not the same as oppression.

On the other hand, since non-Christian religions are so othered, people of those faiths are often treated like a strange monolith.

7. You Can Go Without Knowing About Other Faiths Without Consequence

Genuine curiosity is understandable - since the option of being oblivious to other peoples' faiths is one of the privileges of being a Christian in the US.

As the dominant religion, Christianity is everywhere in our society - represented on television, shaping our culture's views on sex and marriage, influencing school curriculum.

That student would usually have to wait to take an elective course in college to find their spiritual beliefs represented in school - and you can go without ever learning about Hinduism or other traditions if you want to.

As a result, harmful myths about non-Christian religions, agnosticism , and are pretty common.

8. Your Community Can Build and Attend a Place of Worship Without Being Targeted for Violence

Many Americans never learn anything about Islam - and then what they do learn is based on Islamophobic lies spread by biased media.

Because of those lies, Islam is an example of a religion whose places of worship are targeted for violence.

, mosques have been driven out of town, vandalized, and set afire. Around the country In some places , groups of people are openly carrying guns at anti-Islam rallies outside of mosques.

Many Muslims can't attend their place of worship without threats of violence.

Black churches have also been targeted in racially motivated attacks.

I can't even imagine how horrible it feels to worship under that threat, because I don't have to experience that when I go to church - at least not solely on the basis of religion.

9. People of Your Faith Who Commit Acts of Violence Aren't Said to Represent Your Entire Faith

"Was he radicalized?" "Is he connected to radical Islam?" "This is an act of terrorism!"

If an attacker has ties to terrorist groups, many people equate all of Islam with terrorism.

Innocent Muslims are then targeted for surveillance , profiled for invasive TSA screenings , and judged as dangerous. It's not unusual to hear everyday Americans and political figures like Donald Trump make outrageous suggestions like shutting down mosques or barring Muslims from the country.

I didn't hear anyone suggest closing down all churches or investigating white Christian men for possible ties to terrorism. Did you?

As a Christian, you're not judged as inherently violent because of your faith - not even when people commit horrendous acts of violence in the name of Christianity.

10. You Can Expect Your Children to Have Many Teachers Who Share Your Faith

The domination of Christianity means you can assume most people will share your faith in many areas of life - and school is a big one.

You might not even notice how much of a difference this makes, because it can look as simple as teachers understanding your child's home life and treating them with the respect every child deserves.

But not every child gets that respect.

If a Native child's family practices Indigenous spirituality, for example, a teacher might treat them like they're strange and inferior, and discourage them from expressing their spirituality in school.

11. You're Not Pressured to Celebrate Another Religion's Holidays

Christmas gift exchanges in the workplace, Easter egg hunts at school - I've had my fair share of fun with these activities, so I'm not knocking you if you participate in them.

But it's a privilege to be able to bring your religion into areas of life like work and school without being questioned.

When these holiday activities are implemented as universal social events, it can be uncomfortable for people who aren't Christian to feel pressured to celebrate. Especially when the invitation to participate comes with the assumption that you're Christian, and sometimes marginalization if you say you're not.

Not to mention the context of all the other ways Christian domination shows up - so for someone who's not Christian, this pressure can be another oppressive reminder that your religion is treated as "other."

12. You Can 'Evangelize' to Others About Your Faith Without Being Accused of Trying to 'Radicalize' People

As a college student, I had an easy out when people approached me to talk about Jesus.

"Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?"

"Yep!" I'd say, and then I'd be on my way - even though I had a feeling my anti-oppressive, feminist theological beliefs were not what they had in mind.

In many places, it's common to encounter Christians knocking on your door, passing out pamphlets, and inviting friends, co-workers, and strangers to their church. This is called "evangelizing," and it's widely considered harmless, if sometimes annoying.

But how would you feel if a neighbor knocked on your door to talk to you about Islam?

Many American parents would be alarmed if their children called home from college to report that a stranger on campus tried to convert them to Islam every day. They might even call police.

Society has demonized non-Christian religions to the point where many people of other faiths would be seen as dangerous just for talking about their religion. Christians don't have to worry about that.

13. You Can Express Your Faith Without People Trying to 'Save' You From Your Religion

I've had conversations with people who believe Christianity is inherently patriarchal, so feminists couldn't possibly feel fulfilled as Christians. It's frustrating when they roll their eyes at the idea of being a Christian feminist - but at least that's the worst they do.

At least they don't try to silence and speak over me under the paternalistic guise of "helping" me - which is how many people treat folks of other faiths.

For example, some Western feminists ignore the wants and needs of Muslim women and insist that these women need to be "saved" from Islam . They're hyper-focused on things like the hijab, pointing to it as a universal symbol of oppression without actually listening to hijabis about why some women choose to wear hijab - and about the other issues that are important to them.

It's patronizing to believe that Muslim women are incapable of speaking for themselves - but they're treated like they're in need of a "savior" all too often.

14. Your Faith Isn't Reduced to Only the Most Violent Passages of Your Holy Book

Anyone who has read the Bible knows that in some sections, the Christian god comes across as quite a vengeful god. Because Christianity is everywhere, most people are aware that the Bible also has a lot to say about kindness, forgiveness, and peace.

But in spite of the fact that peace is a central part of Islam, many people cite passages in the Qur'an to say that it's inherently violent, barbaric, or oppressive.

The unsuspecting subjects are disturbed by messages about things like cutting off people's hands and dominating women - but they don't seem surprised, with one person saying, "That's just the way they are."

People are more likely to see Muslims as violent and uncivilized for following a holy book that contains violence. But they overlook those passages in the Bible because they see Christians as "normal" Westerners.

15. People Don't Usually Appropriate and Trivialize Sacred Symbols of Your Religion

Symbols from religions including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Indigenous spiritualities have all made their way into popular culture.

People who don't have any connection to these traditions regularly use decorations, get tattoos, and wear clothes inspired by them. In many cases, they use sacred symbols and disrespect their meaning by removing them from their intended context.

But these sacred symbols do have deep meaning in the cultures they originated from. Dismissing it as some silly thing to use however you want says that you don't see these spiritual practices as worthy of respect.

Christians don't usually have this problem - throughout history in the US and other areas of the world ravaged by colonization, Christians have done a lot of damage by imposing their religion on others, rather than having it taken from them. Clearly, that domination hasn't stopped - so Westerners can still cause a lot of harm by appropriating symbols of non-Christian religions.

When people who aren't Christian take symbols from Christianity, it doesn't have the same impact.

There are many more examples of Christian privilege, and the vast majority of them involve treating Christians as "normal" people and marginalizing everyone else.

For people with other religions and no religion, expressing their beliefs can come with social, legal, and political consequences.

If you're a Christian, you don't have to stop practicing your faith in order to help stop oppression based in Christianity.

But you can help by making one important distinction - the difference between your freedom to practice your own religion and entitlement to take away other people's religious freedom.

If you do things like expect everyone to celebrate your holidays, impose your religious values on other people, or treat non-Christian people like they're inferior, you're contributing to the problem. You're making normalizing Christianity and making room for violent forces like Islamophobia to go unchecked.

And if you're not paying attention to how Christian privilege shows up, you might implicitly be part of the problem without even realizing it.

To make room for everyone's faith instead, you can avoid assuming that people are Christian, respect other people's faith or lack of faith just like you'd want your beliefs respected, and listen to non-Christian people so you can correct misconceptions you hold about their beliefs.

Recognizing your privilege as a Christian is a great step toward supporting true religious freedom in our society.
Maisha Z. Johnson is the Digital Content Associate and Staff Writer of Everyday Feminism. You can find her writing at the intersections and shamelessly indulging in her obsession with pop culture around the web. Maisha's past work includes Community United Against Violence (CUAV), the nation's oldest LGBTQ anti-violence organization, and Fired Up!, a program of California Coalition for Women Prisoners. Through her own project, Inkblot Arts, Maisha taps into the creative arts and digital media to amplify the voices of those often silenced. Like her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter @mzjwords.

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Don't Believe in Christian Privilege? These 15 Examples Will Leave No Doubt - Everyday Feminism

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Respect for your religious traditions? The ability to practice your faith without being ostracized? Having Starbucks print your religious holidays on their cups? When you're used to celebrations of your religion everywhere you go, recognizing that some people don't share your religion can feel like something's being taken away from you.

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A look at the science behind one of the Internet's favorite new words. For more awesome videos, SUBSCRIBE TO UPWORTHY! http://www.youtube.com/subs... MORE UPWORTHY Visit our website: http://upworthy.com Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/upworthy Sign up for our daily email: http://upworthy.com/subscribe Follow us on Tumblr: http://upworthy.tumblr.com Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/upworthy CAST & CREW Voiceover work by Franchesca Ramsey: http://www.franchesca.net/ Production work by Charged Productions: http://www.charged.com/ Post-Production by Matt Bowman.

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Racial wealth disparities between homeowners

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Unrealistic beauty double standards and more!

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I could write an article about big, glaring examples of gender inequality, like income and career opportunities and bodily autonomy. I have in the past, and I almost certainly will again. But right now, I want to talk about everyday examples of male privilege. They are so ingrained in our culture that we may not even notice them at first, but they have the ability to do just as much damage as the big picture ones.

This article is not saying that men have it easy, that men have nothing to complain about ever. This article is to highlight the ways that long-standing patriarchy and cultural misogyny leave certain members of our society at a distinct disadvantage on a daily basis. It is to point out that a gender binary does everyone a disservice. It is to remind people of their privileges, even if they seem minute. Do you know how exhausting it is to be told to smile almost every time I walk by myself? It's degrading.

Of course it is worth noting, too, that the gendered privilege we talk about typically refers to people who fit succinctly into one half of the gender binary. Many do not, and they often suffer more for it. Trans women, for example, are caught in the in-between, facing harassment if they "pass," but facing a crueler, more dangerous type of harassment if they do not. LGBT men are 20 percent more likely to face verbal abuse than their straight-identifying peers. And these are just two of many, many examples.

The next time that you witness one of these everyday instances of male privilege, note it. Point it out. Say something.

1. Tweeting Without Fear Of Sexual Harassment Or Other Forms Of Trolling

XO Jane writer Alex Blank Millard, exhausted from the constant violence and rape threats she experienced on Twitter, decided to change her Twitter photo to a white man. Her tweets remained the same, commenting on #rapeculture and feminism and receiving only positive responses. No one mentioned her appearance. No one threatened rape or violence. This is not to say that men don't also suffer from harassment online - they do, and all harassment is unacceptable - but as a notable Pew study found in 2014, women suffer disproprtionately from sexual harassment and stalking online.

2. Wearing An Outfit, Free Of Strangers' Opinions

Or not wearing an outfit! Either way! Women face scrutiny for wearing too little, for wearing too much - it often feels like we cannot win. It's lack of opinion that I consider a privilege. The lack of commentary. Wearing an outfit and people saying, "OK, that person is wearing an outfit" and leaving it at that.

3. Walking Alone, Day Or Night

As of 2012, women, regardless of their age, reported feeling unsafe walking alone at night in their neighborhood at a rate twice as high as men. But let's be real, walking alone during the day can prompt just as many anxieties for women. After surveying 2,000 people across the United States, Stop Street Harassment found that 65 percent of women had experienced street harassment, with 25 percent of men, many of whom identified as LGBTQA+, reporting similar harassment incidents.

4. Being Allowed To Frown In Public

Or simply being allowed to exist in public with any kind of expression other than smiling. I get told to smile on a weekly, if not daily basis. That is not an exaggeration. Mallory Ortberg of The Toast recently published this amazing article/slideshow comparing the patriarchy to an episode of The Simpsons, with the major takeaway being that the patriarchy requires "not only outward compliance but inner enthusiasm." Yes. This.

5. Not Having To Watch Your Drink At A Bar

In 2014, the CDC estimated that nearly 22 million adult American women ( approximately one in five) have experienced rape; between nine and 10 million of those cases were alcohol- or drug-facilitated rape. Again, this is not to say that men cannot experience sexual assault; they do, and it is just as awful, no matter how the victim identifies. The point is that women suffer from it disproprtionately.

6. Doing Whatever You Want With Your Body Hair

One survey estimated that American women who shave will spend over $10,000 and two months of their lives removing "unwanted body hair." For women who wax, it's closer to $23,000. And it's not just our armpits - society dictates hair removal from our legs, pubic area, faces and eyebrows. Oh, and women shouldn't be bald on their heads, either. Our body hair is strictly policed in a way that men's is not, and it is, to put it bluntly, BS.
Images: Giphy (6)

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Everyday Examples Of Male Privilege In Action

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I could write an article about big, glaring examples of gender inequality, like income and career opportunities and bodily autonomy. I have in the past, and I almost certainly will again. But right now, I want to talk about everyday examples of male ...

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A few things heterosexuals don't have to worry about

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In spite of increasing acceptance and support for queer people, we still live in a society that affords heterosexual individuals more rights, power, and freedom.
Straight people might not consciously think about or acknowledge it, but straight privilege influences everything - from their daily lives to their career goals.
As a result, straight narratives vastly differ from queer ones. Let's break down some of the ways that straight privilege comes into play.

1. Your Orientation Is Naturalized from Birth

One day while I was shopping, I was simultaneously repulsed and amused to find baby onesies that said things like "Ladies Man" and "Lock Up Your Daughters."

Putting aside the obvious gross misogyny, I couldn't believe how early people jump at the chance to shoehorn their children into heterosexual narratives.

A similar phenomenon occurs whenever baby boys smile at me in the grocery store. Their mothers will say something like "Look at how he's flirting with you!" Ma'am, your son barely has a grasp of object permanence, so I doubt he knows what a girl is.
Heteronormativity is established before kids are even out of diapers.
Although it's annoying and borderline creepy, it gives straight people an easy template for romance.

When a boy has a crush on a girl or vice versa, they don't have to question why they like that person or the larger implications of liking that person. Their attraction to another gender is already anticipated and expected.

2. You Don't Have to Come Out

Building off of #1, you don't have to announce your heterosexuality to the world.

Very few parents are going to be surprised or angry that their child is straight. People that you're sexually compatible with are still going to be readily available without having to confirm that you're both straight.

And if you're thinking, "Queer people only have to come out once! It's just a matter of gathering up the courage and ripping off the Band-Aid!" you're wrong. Queer people have to come out over and over again throughout their lives.

Next time you go to Thanksgiving dinner or score a date or make a friend, be grateful you don't have to discuss and defend your sexual identity.

3. You Don't Have to Justify Your Identity or the Legitimacy of Your Orientation

No one is going to insist that heterosexuality is just a phase. You won't be asked to prove your straightness by rattling off your romantic or sexual history or trace it back to a particular moment in your childhood. You won't be told to pick a side.
Heterosexuality is already legitimate in that it's backed by centuries of sociocultural dominance and political laws.
You can move through the world with your orientation and lifestyle unquestioned.

4. Your Right to Get Married is Never Questioned

Whereas straight couples have had the right to get married just about anywhere without question since forever, up until the very recent US Supreme Court decision, same-sex marriage was only legal in 30 states. And our right to get married is still being continuously attacked.

5. You Cannot Be Fired for Your Job Because of Your Sexual Orientation

It might be unsettling to hear this in 2015, but you can still be fired for being queer in the majority of states.

6. You Don't Have to Fear Violence Because of Your Orientation

Depending on the area, a queer person risks facing everything from street harassment to hate violence - and, yes, even the threat of being murdered - when they go out in public.

Unfortunately, sexuality driven hate violence became so common that claiming " gay panic" was a readily used defense in criminal cases, although states are working to outlaw it.

Straight couples can hold hands or kiss in public without fear of scrutiny, retaliation, or death.

7. You Don't Have to Worry About Losing Your Family, Friends, or Financial Support as a Result of Revealing Your Sexuality

Sometimes, when a queer person decides to come out, they risk disappointing their parents or losing a friend.

In more extreme cases, parents will stop paying their child's college tuition or kick them out of the house. In fact, 40% of homeless youth are queer and trans kids.

Sure, sexuality can create some messy situations no matter who you like, but straight kids probably aren't going to lose the roof over their heads if they get caught with their significant other.

8. You Have Ample (And Fairly Accurate) Media Representation

Just about every form of media is positively dripping with heterosexuality. TV shows, magazines, music, film - everywhere you look, straight people are flirting or getting it on or realizing they're meant to be.

From dewy Disney fantasies to awkward coming-of-age tales and zany romcoms, the heterosexual couple is a bedrock of our culture. In seemingly endless incarnations, straight people always manage to get their happy ending, no matter how many obstacles are in their way or how stubborn they are.
As for queer people...not so much.
It's taken us decades to get overt representation on screen. Diversity might be increasing, but even as queer characters start to get bona fide love stories, there are still subtle codes that reinforce the implication that we're always a little bit less than worthy of true fulfillment.

Remember that rosy coming-of-age story? Replace it with homophobic and/or religious parents, a deeply closeted lover, and a heaping helping of self-loathing. Lighthearted or nonchalant stories of sexual self-discovery are few and far between.

Gay male characters tend to fall into one of two stereotypes: the effeminate outcast who's horribly bullied or the closeted jock whose internalized homophobia underlies a temper and a violent streak.

If you're a lesbian, put simply, you're always crying or dying. Writers have a nasty habit of killing them off as part of some half-assed, poorly executed social commentary - in subtext, of course!

Let's just say I look forward to the day when every channel plays reruns of a cheesy sitcom about your average American same-sex couple and their quirky kids who get into too many shenanigans.

9. You Can Talk About Your Partner and Your Love Life without Worrying About Accidentally Outing Yourself

Whether it's hastily changing pronouns in stories or creating fictional significant others or just avoiding the subject of dating at all costs, queer people often have to go to meticulous lengths to avoid outing themselves.

Everyone has different reasons for not wanting to be out to certain people or not wanting to be out at all. Regardless of circumstance, it can be very stressful for LGBTQIA+ folks to navigate even casual conversation with the constant fear of outing yourself to the wrong person.

Imagine not being able to speak freely about the person you love or just not being able to swap silly dating misadventure stories with your friends.

Straight people have the luxury to divulge as much information as they want about their personal lives without worrying about the reactions of their audience.

10. You Have the Opportunity to Learn About Your Privilege, Rather Than Experiencing Oppression Firsthand

It is important to understand and recognize straight privilege in order to better ally yourself with the LGBTQIA+ community and to help create a future where the institutions that perpetuate such privilege and oppression no longer have an influence.

Use your position of power to amplify the voices of those who might not otherwise be heard.
Erin Tatum is a Contributing Writer at Everyday Feminism. She's a feminist, queer theory lover, and television enthusiast living in Pennsylvania. She is particularly interested in examining the representation of marginalized identities in media. In addition to Everyday Feminism, she's also a weekly contributor to B*tch Flicks. Follow her on Twitter @ErinTatum91.

Filed Under: Tagged With: Articles, Fem 101, LGBTQIA Posts

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10 Examples of Straight Privilege - Everyday Feminism

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In spite of increasing acceptance and support for queer people, we still live in a society that affords heterosexual individuals more rights, power, and freedom. Straight people might not consciously think about or acknowledge it, but straight privilege influences everything - from their daily lives to their career goals.

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