While there have been serious attempts at integrating issues of sexual, racial, class, and national difference within feminist theory, questions regarding religious difference have remained largely unexplored.
Saba Mahmood, Politics of Piety
Religious difference can often be overlooked as an intersection. I will look to explore this in more detail, using Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality as a way to address the ‘single-issue analyses that intersectionality challenges.’ (Crenshaw, 1989). This blog post explores how faith, particularly for female Muslims, intertwines with other aspects of identity to shape lived experiences.
Embodied intersectionality
I’m particularly interested in the concepts of ‘embodied intersectionality’ (Mirza, 2013) and ’embodied practices,’ such as wearing the hijab to explore how these practices serve as expressions of faith but also as markers of broader social and cultural identities.
The hijab, which provides Muslim women with an ‘inner strength’, can simultaneously be used as a weapon against them. As Mirza states, the veil is ‘given a symbolic meaning that goes far beyond its actual religious or social status’. (Mirza, 2013). This contradiction highlights the need for a framework that moves beyond simplistic, essentialist notions about ethnicity, tradition, and religion. (Mirza, 2013).
Is intersectionality enough?
While Crenshaw’s framework of intersectionality provides a multi-layered approach to understand the discrimination and complex lived experiences of Muslim women in relation to the hijab, I am not sure how, in practical terms, it could be applied to mitigate the ‘persistent view that equates the veil with oppression itself’ (Rekis, 2023). This application of intersectionality is something I am struggling with. If intersectionality as an applied framework becomes the lens through which we see everyone, that might risk us prioritising group identity and moving away from Crenshaw’s original use of the term as an explanation for multi-dimensional discrimination against black women in legal contexts. Emphasising collective identity could also be a way of allowing for racialised stereotypes to come to the fore. I think there’s a balancing act to be achieved between prioritising group and individual identities – so they affect but don’t define our lived experiences. I know this is a grey area, and in keeping with the nature of this unit I don’t think it’s a time to come to concrete answers but more so to allow for deeper reflection. I’m curious to know what my blog group thinks about this!
An autoethnographic approach
I wonder if adopting an autoethnographic approach might help to bridge the gap between the individual and group views of identity.
As a method, autoethnography:
- Uses personal narratives as the basis to explore intersectionality
- Emphasises the connection between identity negotiations and embodied practices (micro-level) and the socio–cultural context (the macro-level)
- Focuses on the situated perspectives of those living at the intersections to highlight the nuances within a marginalised group.
In my context (online PGT) I could design activities that support students to develop their own intersectional autoethnographic narratives – prompting them to articulate how systems of power and privilege manifest in their own creative practice and how their work is perceived by others.
Conclusion
UAL data shows student religious affiliation declining year on year. We shouldn’t, however, disregard religion or underestimate the connection it has with race and gender. This would constitute an epistemic injustice (Rekis, 2023).
By centering subjugated voices and their embodied intersectional experiences, we can develop a deeper sense of care and empathy. Through intersectional autoethnography, we honour individual narratives while illuminating the intricate threads that weave our collective identities together to form an intricate threadscape that transcends reductionist approaches.
(550 words)
P.s. I love this (now viral) clip displaying the care and empathy that I believe can be developed in all arenas of life.
Blogs commented on:
References
Adams, T.E., Stacy Holman Jones and Ellis, C. (2021) Handbook of Autoethnography. Routledge.
Crenshaw, K. (1989) Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics, University of Chicago Legal Forum. Available at: http://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/uclf/vol1989/iss1/8.
Mahmood, S. (2005). Politics of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist Subject (REV-Revised). Princeton University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvct00cf
Mirza, H.S. (2013) ‘“A second skin”: Embodied intersectionality, transnationalism and narratives of identity and belonging among Muslim women in Britain’, Women’s Studies International Forum, 36, pp. 5–15.
Rekis, J. (2023) ‘Religious Identity and Epistemic Injustice: An Intersectional Account’, Hypatia, 38(4), pp. 779–800. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/hyp.2023.86.
Artwork: Yui Yamamoto, 2021 MA Performance: Design and Practice, Central Saint Martins, UAL | Photograph: Alys Tomlinson
Dear Yasi,
Having read your first two blog posts for Unit 2, I have developed a fondness for your writing style, in particular the way you start blogs with a quote and demonstrate self-awareness and curiosity in your responses. I was also touched by the viral clip you included at the end, showing the camaraderie between opponent women’s football teams. This example attests to the points Haifaa Jaward makes in her blog post about incorporating faith-based needs to enhance participation of Muslim women in sport.
Looking forward to reading your next blog!
Best,
Dayna
Dear Yasi
I like the way you show the difference layers of intersectionality within a religion that society overlooks’ that affects women. By you using Crenshaw as reference and the basis for your observations in how female Muslim women must traverse the ‘intersections’ of their religion, sex, gender and race; that impacts on their lives. The religious outward face observable symbols of faith -the hijab are social markers of cultural identity (Mirza. 2013) ‘the veil? can have a symbolic meaning; cultural and social status.
You question, ‘is intersectionality enough’? I liked the way you explored this title heading and presented your argument- referencing Crenshaw -through the complexity of Muslim women’s experience wearing hijab. Questioning the practical terms of the clothing item as a form of oppression. Intersectionality from a single point of view f oppression; strays away from Crenshaw’s original terms of multi-layered intersections discriminations against black women through race, sex, social, economic, and legal terms.
I understand your caution to have time for deeper reflection on the points you have raised but I feel we need an answer or an agreed ‘framework’ to work with-where we can hang ideas and new teaching approaches, so that we continue moving forward, developing our practice to cater for the diversity of the students.
Your autoethnographic diagram is a great example to help us understand how to bridge the gap between the individual and group view of identity.
Your active approach in finding a way to engage the student to design their own intersectional autoethnographic narratives is a good teaching tool to show how systems of power, privilege reveals itself.
You note that religion/faith is declining within UAL year on year, and I agree with you that we must still continue to support the individual as well as the larger body of students who make up cohorts who study at Central saint Martins.
Thanks very much for your thoughts Michael, always appreciated!
Your point about the multi-layered nature of intersectionality and its application beyond a single point of oppression are something I agree with, and I 100% agree that you are right to highlight the need for a practical framework to guide our teaching approaches. While reflection is valuable, and something that the IP unit has allowed me to do, actionable strategies are crucial for progress.
I’m glad you found the autoethnographic diagram helpful! I wasn’t sure if it worked but I think it does… and your endorsement of the student-designed intersectional narratives as a teaching tool is encouraging. It could be a concrete way to help students understand systems of power and privilege.
Hi Yasi,
It was really good to read your blog post.
I was interested in you raising ’embodied intersectionality’ (Mirza, 2013) and ’embodied practices,’ such as wearing the hijab. It makes me think how common it was to hear arguments about the oppression of hijab-wearing women from people who purported to be on the left of the political spectrum and how this discourse serves to oppress women of faith who wear the hijab and who are doubly marginalised by being women of colour and of faith. Indeed you raise this when questioning how intersectionality – ‘could be applied to mitigate the ‘persistent view that equates the veil with oppression itself’’ (Rekis, 2023). I agree that the uses of intersectionality should be focused on those who are most affected by multiple factors of inequality and that the experience of black women is particularly negative – there is a risk that identification with certain groups could be seen to take precedence over the various forms of oppression very marginalised people experience. I think your point about there being a ‘balancing act to be achieved between prioritising group and individual identities – so they affect but don’t define our lived experiences’ is valid while it might be difficult to say that black women’s experience isn’t defined by their status as black females as these marginalised intersecting aspects of identity relate to such high oppression societally. Your discussion of the use of autoethnography to address intersectionality from a personal perspective is an engaging one; as your diagram says, the risk of generalising different people’s experiences across group membership is quite high.
Best wishes,
Sid
Hi Sid, thank you for your thoughtful and engaging comment on my blog post.
I think your observation about the political discourse surrounding hijab-wearing women is particularly poignant. It highlights the importance of understanding intersectionality in real-world contexts and how ‘well-intentioned’ arguments can actually perpetuate oppression. This beautifully illustrates the need for nuanced, culturally sensitive approaches when discussing issues of identity and oppression.
I’m glad you found the bit on autoethnography interesting – especially when it comes to the risk of overgeneralisation across group memberships as you state. It’s a delicate balance to acknowledge shared experiences while respecting individual narratives – I guess a constant balancing act.
Thank you for contributing with such thoughtful insights, I really appreciate your thoughts on my blogs!