The Silent Struggle: Intersectionality and Students of Color

The term “intersectionality” was coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw and acknowledges that individuals hold multiple identities — such as race, gender, and ethnicity — that intersect to shape their experiences. Stereotypes, cultural insensitivity, and historical prejudices contribute to environments where these individuals may be more vulnerable to various forms of harassment, especially sexual harassment.

But intersectionality is more than a concept; it has informed my life as an Asian woman who is also a member of the LGBTQ community. In my home country, where I am a member of the majority culture, I haven’t experienced racism, but in the U.S. I am a minority in both race and sexuality and can experience racism, sexism, and homophobia all at once, which is terrifying.

As a member of more than one oppressed group, I also experience greater vulnerability regarding sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is a pervasive issue not only in K-12 schools and on college campuses but also in the culture at large, and is particularly shaped by racial stereotypes. For example, in many American movies, Asian women are portrayed as sexually submissive and lacking independent thoughts of their own. We are seen as submissive and vulnerable in the eyes of men, thereby emboldening perpetrators to sexually harass us.

Asian LGBTQ students, like myself, face the added challenge of navigating cultural stigma in the Asian community, where discussing sex in any capacity is discouraged. In Xinye He’s article “A Subject We Must Discuss” on the Stop Sexual Assault in Schools website, she writes, “Many Asian students rarely talk about sex at home or in school,” not because they don’t want to, but because “parents almost never talk about this taboo topic with their children.” What’s more, He adds, “many parents also approach sexual assault cases as the victim’s problem rather than the perpetrator’s responsibility.”

Reporting sexual harassment is also a complicated matter for many women of color. Not only do these institutions lack awareness of our intersectional struggle, but the justice system is also complicated for those of us with foreign-student status. We worry that reporting or getting involved in a harassment report could affect our immigration or visa status and possibly lead to deportation. Many perpetrators of sexual violence target international students because they can take advantage of our fear and silence us.

Bringing awareness to middle and high school students about intersectionality is critically important. “Sexual Harassment and Students of Color” is an important resource at the SASH Club project (Students Against Sexual Harassment). It explains how students of color are uniquely impacted by harassment, including the barriers we face to reporting. It also outlines how schools can better prevent and respond to sexual harassment of students of color and how police-free schools can improve outcomes for students of color.

Middle and high school students can also understand intersectionality through a pervasive problem impacting their lives: school dress codes. “Can Dress Codes Harm Students?” shows how girls, LGBTQ students, and students of color are most affected. Part 2, “How to Reform or Abolish School Dress Codes” offers steps to make change. The resources on the SASH Club website help students build awareness and safer communities within educational institutions so they are informed, supported, and spared experiences like mine.