This week, we discussed one of the most important topics to date, because it is encompassing of every issue we have touched on-intersectional feminism. Intersectional feminism the theory that explains how race, class, gender identity, sexuality, and ability are complexly connected. We began by asking how many of the girls had heard of feminism and to our surprise, nobody raised her hand. So, we gave a short history lesson. We explained how feminism really first appeared in the Progressive Era, where issues such as suffrage and birth control were the focus of the movement. In my history class, we had just discussed Alice Paul, who was a fierce leader of the feminist movement in the 1900s, so I decided to teach the girls about this powerful woman. She was a leader of the British suffrage movement and was incarcerated several times. Her time in prison taught her lessons in civil disobedience, and she most famously participated in hunger striking. After the 19th Amendment was passed, Paul led the movement to pass the Equal Rights Amendment, which was a proposed amendment to the US Constitution stating that civil rights may not be denied on the basis of one’s sex. But, that was denied. We then moved on to explaining intersectionality and many well-known intersectional feminists, such as Yara Shahidi and Rowan Blanchard. They were upset to hear that some feminist movements exclude LGBTQ+ folks, people of color, and disabled individuals. We reminded them that inclusivity is key to any social movement. We asked the girls to explain situations in which they have been targeted for their race, class, or gender, if they felt comfortable, and many said they had, but, it was difficult for them to share. Ellora, Ashley, and I all shared moments where we have been discriminated against for our race or gender, reminding them of the importance of intersectional feminism. Lastly, we asked the girls to share some inspirational women in their lives, and many said their mothers and aunts, but some said specific women, such as Michelle Obama and Oprah. It was an educational conversation for not only this girls, but for us, for we learned what it means to be a middle school girl during this time.

–Aava F