The Jewish Case for Intersectionality

Brainstorm: When you think of the word "Intersectionality" what do you think of?

“Intersectionality was a prism to bring to light dynamics within discrimination law that weren’t being appreciated by the courts. In particular, courts seem to think that race discrimination was what happened to all black people across gender, and sex discrimination was what happened to all women, and if that is your framework, of course, what happens to black women and other women of color is going to be difficult to see..intersectionality is not really concerned with shallow questions of identity and representation, but more interested in the deep structural and systemic questions about discrimination and inequality.” -Kimberlee Crenshaw

Coaston, Jane "The Intersectionality Wars." Vox.com, May 28, 2019. https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/5/20/18542843/intersectionality-conservatism-law-race-gender-discrimination

1. Is anything surprising to you about this definition? How well does it match up with what we came up with in our brainstorm?

2. What are the differences between questions of "identity and representation" and questions of "discrimination and inequality"?

1. How does the "state" of Shushan relate to its subjects based on ethnicity and gender? How might that shape the experience and identity of ethnic men in Shushan? How might that shape the experience and identity of ethnic women?

2. Why do you think the state of Shushan allows different types of ethnic identity expression based on gender?

1. How did Esther's expression of her ethnic and gender identity impact the outcome of the story?

2. How might we understand both the risk and power of Esther's actions differently in light of our earlier conversation on intersectionality?

Intersectionality in American Jewish History:

The case of Yiddish Socialism in the International Ladies Garment Worker's Union"

"Among Yiddish Socialists, a mutual effort to support the multiplicity of worker's ethnic cultural ties was essential for revolution because it strengthened worker's own ethnic struggle against the dominant culture and made them feel secure that the revolutionary movement was not bent on surpressing their differences. Because the capitalists against whom the Jews in Russia and the United States struggled were most often Jewish as well, Yiddish socialism was a class-based ethnic identity." (pg. 6)

"The union membership, roughly 75% women, encompassed a greater diversity of cultures than ever before. In addition to the Jewish and Italian workers who made up the majority of the membership, the Jewish led union organized over four-thousand Black and over three thousand Spanish-speaking workers. Many of whom had never before been union members." (pg. 126)

Zimmerman remembered, "The response was so overwheming we astonished ourselves. We had estimated that 30,000 workers might go out (on strike) or at most 35,000. The actual outpouring was in the neighborhood of 70,000...we did not have enough halls to hold them all..." (pg.124)

(All quotes pulled from: "All Together Different: Yiddish Socialists, Garment Workers, and the Labor Roots of Multiculturalism" by Daniel Katz)

1. To what extent does the outlook of the IGLWU Yiddish Socialists embody intersectionality?

2. Where do you connect with their approach? Where do you feel tension with thier approach?

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Jews and Intersectionality Today

"Antisemitism is one of a host of oppressions that an intersectional lens attempts to address...Intersectionality, rather than a “focus” of activism, is a descriptive lens that helps us understand each other so we can effectively work together. It enables activists and public-facing individuals to be sure that we’re not drowning out other voices, hurting others while trying to help, or contributing to further alienation and mistrust. To put it differently, it’s a kind of empathy and solidarity that is informed by a rigorous look at society’s varying ways of keeping its boot on people’s necks.

The primary argument employed against intersectionality...is Jews feeling unwelcome in left spaces because anti-Zionism can feel like, or veer into, antisemitism. Yet this presumes that other oppressed people do feel welcome in those spaces. Intersectionality acknowledges that no open space, even the most progressive or well-intentioned, is free from dominating social forces... For evidence of this, look no further than all the men who have recently been outed as abusers in spaces that explicitly trumpeted their feminism. The patriarchy is everywhere. White supremacy is everywhere. Antisemitism is everywhere, too."

Seltzer, Sarah. "Intersectionality is Not a Reason for Jews to Leave Our Movements." Jewish Currents. May 22, 2018. https://jewishcurrents.org/intersectionality-is-not-a-reason-for-jews-to-leave/

1. To what extent to you agree with Seltzer's argument? To what extent is her approach to intersectionality similar to or different from the examples we've looked at so far?

2. Seltzer states that intersectionality can be understood as: "a kind of empathy and solidarity that is informed by a rigorous look at society’s varying ways of keeping its boot on people’s necks." How can we put this into practice as Jews engaging with social justice work? What challenges do we face in doing so?

3. How do you work to build trust with those outside of your community and experience?