What is intersectionality?
Video / May 13, 2024
Transcript
(background music plays)
(video displays) The Logo of GBA PLUS appears on the left with the title “What is Intersectionality? DND/CAF GBA Plus Toolkit for Junior Officers and Non-Commissioned Leaders” on the right over a white background.
(video displays) A blue box with the text “Gender-based Analysis Plus or GBA Plus has been part of the Government of Canada since 1995. Since its inception, many parts of the Defence Team have been doing great work to apply GBA Plus in their respective areas. By watching and engaging with the videos in the GBA Plus toolkit, you are joining a broader movement for positive culture change through the application of GBA Plus in the defence environment” appears over a white background.
[Section 1. Intersectionality]
(video displays) To the left, the text “Diversity expressed through social identity factors” appears. To the right, a 12-pointed asterisk with a drawing of a group of people of different genders, ages, and races at the centre is shown with the words, “age, location, race & ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, rank, unit, occupation, immigration & citizenship, socio-economic status, gender, family status” in its spokes. This is the wheel of social identity factors.
Narrator: Diversity is the wide range of qualities and attributes within people and communities expressed through various social identity factors.
(video displays) To the left, the text “GBA Plus goes beyond identifying diversity” appears. To the right, a 12-pointed asterisk with a drawing of a group of people of different genders, ages, and races at the centre is shown with the words, “age, location, race & ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, rank, unit, occupation, immigration & citizenship, socio-economic status, gender, family status” in its spokes. This is the wheel of social identity factors.
Narrator: Although identifying and recognizing various social identity factors is an important first step to applying GBA Plus, it goes beyond identifying diversity.
(video displays) The logo of GBA Plus Gender-Based Analysis Plus decorated with red maple leaves appears to the left. At its right, the five GBA Plus approach steps are listed inside interlocking circles arranged as a pentagon with the following text on the screen:
- Step 1. Identify the issue,
- Step 2. Identify people & their needs,
- Step 3. Identify differences and inequalities,
- Step 4. Develop options,
- Step 5. Implement, monitor & evaluate.
Narrator: GBA Plus is the Government of Canada’s approach to intersectional analysis.
(video displays) To the left, the logo of GBA Plus Gender-Based Analysis Plus becomes smaller. At its right, the photo of Kimberlé Crenshaw giving an interview appears, with her name and title “American Civil Rights Advocate, Professor, UCLA School of Law and Columbia Law School.”
Narrator: Intersectionality as a concept was created in 1989 by Kimberlé Crenshaw, an African-American legal scholar and civil rights advocate.
(video displays) The title “How social identity factors interact with” appears over a white background, with colored arrows below, directed at a graphic depicting a large circle with three circles of smaller size each. The first and smallest circle says “1. Social Identity Factors”. In quick succession, the second circle text appears “2. Group membership (including social norms)”, followed by the third circle text “3. Institutional Power (including policies and practices)”, finishing with the fourth and largest circle text “4. Systems of Power (including prejudice and discrimination)”.
Narrator: Intersectionality helps describe how social identity factors interact with each other, with society, with organizations, and with systems of power.
(video displays) The title “Who is affected and how?” appears over a white background, with colored arrows below, directed at the title and superimposed by a drawing of people connected by grey lines. To the right, a graphic depicting a large circle with three circles of smaller size each is again shown. The first and smallest circle says “1. Social Identity Factors”. The second circle says “2. Group membership (including social norms)”. The third circle says “3. Institutional Power (including policies and practices)”. The fourth and largest circle says “4. Systems of Power (including prejudice and discrimination)”.
Narrator: By using intersectional analysis, we can describe who is affected and how so that we can better support people and communities.
[Section 2. Example – Meet Ben]
(video displays) To the right, a base with a Canadian flag appears. In the center of the screen, an illustration of armed officers is shown. To the left, in quick succession the words “anglophone”, “high school graduate” and “new recruit” appear.
Narrator: For example, meet Ben. He is an Anglophone, high school graduate who was recently accepted to join the military.
(video displays) To the bottom left, the same illustration of armed officers is shown, with the wheel of social identity factors appearing above it. To the left, in quick succession the words “language”, “gender”, “education” and “rank” appear.
The limited description suggests that we know four of Ben’s social identity factors, namely: language, being Anglophone; gender, with the use of the pronoun “he”; education, stated as a high school graduate; and rank, being a new recruit, although we can’t know exactly what Ben’s rank is without knowing his element or occupation.
[Section 3. Group Membership]
(video displays) The text “social identity factors & group membership” appears in the middle of the screen inside a square with a white border and blue background.
Narrator: Using the example, let’s look at how social identity factors interact with group membership.
(video displays) The title “Group membership” appears on top, in a blue rectangle. To the left, an illustration of a group of people in a circle joining hands seen from above is shown, alongside the text “Examples”, with the phrases “work or family unit”, “a community”, “a network”, and “peer group” appearing in quick succession below in a list format. To the right, a 12-pointed asterisk with the words “social identity factors” at the centre is shown with the words, “age, location, race & ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, rank, unit, occupation, immigration & citizenship, socio-economic status, gender, family status” in its spokes. This is the wheel of social identity factors.
Narrator: Social identity factors occur in the context of a group such as a work or a family unit, a community, a network, or a peer group.
(video displays) The same title, illustration and wheel of social identity factors is shown. To the left, the text “Considerations” appear with the phrases “formal or informal”, “hierarchy or ranking order”, and “accepted behaviours (social norms)” appearing in quick succession below in a list format.
Narrator: Group membership can be formal or informal, have its own hierarchy or ranking order, and often includes expected and accepted behaviours also known as “social norms”.
(video displays) The same title and wheel of social identity factors is shown, with the wheel moving to the left. In the middle of the screen, at the bottom, the same illustration of armed officers appears. To the left, the words “BMQ serial”, “men’s accommodations”, “occupation” and “element” appear in quick succession.
Narrator: Looking at what may apply to Ben, we can anticipate that he will be joining a BMQ serial, be assigned to the men’s accommodations, and has an occupation and element.
(video displays) The same title and wheel of social identity factors is shown, with the wheel moving back to the right. To the left, the text “So what could this mean?” appears, with it fading away and being replaced in quick succession by “What are the formal and informal social norms surrounding new recruits?” and “Who has the power in this context?”.
Narrator: So, what could this mean? For example, what are the formal and informal social norms surrounding new recruits? Who has power in this context?
(video displays) The same title and illustration with coloured arrows from before is shown. To the right, in green circles, the words “language”, “gender”, “education” and “rank” are shown. To the left the text “What if the new recruit’s language, gender, or educational background changes?” appears. It is then replaced by “How might their experiences change?”.
Narrator: What if the new recruit's language, gender, or educational background changes? How might their experiences change? For whom, and how?
[Section 4. Institutional Power]
(video displays) The text “social identity factors & institutional power” appears in the middle of the screen inside a square with a white border and blue background.
Narrator: Next, let’s look at how social identity factors interact with institutional power.
(video displays) The title “Institutional power” appears on top, in a blue rectangle. To the left, an illustration of a group of people of different genders, ages, and races is shown, with an illustration of an office building shown above them, an arrow pointing at them. To the right, a 12-pointed asterisk with the words “social identity factors” at the centre is shown with the words, “age, location, race & ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, rank, unit, occupation, immigration & citizenship, socio-economic status, gender, family status” in its spokes. This is the wheel of social identity factors.
Narrator: Institutional power is the ability or authority of organizations to decide what is best for people.
(video displays) The title “Institutional power” and the wheel of social identity factors remain on the screen. To the left, an illustration of an office building is shown. Below the illustration, the text “Includes” is shown with the words “decisions”, “policies” and “legislation” appearing in quick succession below in a list format.
Narrator: This includes decisions, policies, and legislation as to who will have access to power or resources or not.
(video displays) The same title and wheel of social identity factors is shown, with the wheel moving to the left. In the middle of the screen, at the bottom, the same illustration of armed officers appears. To the left, the text “National Defence Act”, “DND/CAF Code of Values and Ethics” appear in quick succession.
Narrator: In Ben’s case, the policies and legislation relevant to DND/CAF members includes the National Defence Act and the DND / CAF Code of Values and Ethics.
(video displays) The title “Institutional power” appears. In the middle of the screen, a big illustration of an office building is shown. The illustrations of a woman and a man pushing against an orange circle with spikes appear. To the left, the text “negative impacts” is shown, followed by the text “challenged” to the right.
Narrator: There will be times when institutional power can have a negative impact on people and communities and contribute to the challenges that they may encounter.
(video displays) The title “Institutional power” appears. To the right, the wheel of social identity factors is shown, with the illustration of the office building, man and woman pushing against an orange circle with spikes in the center of it. In the middle of the screen, at the bottom, the same illustration of armed officers appears. To the left the text “Are there any institutional practices that may be unfair or have a negative impact on new recruits?” appears.
Narrator: For example, are there any institutional practices that may be unfair or have a negative impact on new recruits?
(video displays) The same title and illustration of the office building with the man and woman from before is shown. To the right, in green circles, the words “language”, “gender”, “education” and “rank” are shown. To the left the text “What if the new recruit’s language, gender, or educational background changes?” appears. It is then replaced by “How might their experiences change?” and “From whom, and how?”
Narrator: What if the new recruit's language, gender, or educational background changes? How might their experiences change? For whom, and how?
[Section 5. Systems of Power]
(video displays) The text “social identity factors & systems of power” appears in the middle of the screen inside a square with a white border and blue background.
Narrator: The last area to consider is how social identity factors interact with systems of power.
(video displays) The title “Systems of power” appears on top, in a blue rectangle. To the left, an illustration of a network of people connected by lines is shown. Below the illustration, the text “Includes” is shown with the text “Prejudice & discrimination related to social identity factors”. To the right, a 12-pointed asterisk with the words “social identity factors” at the centre is shown with the words, “age, location, race & ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, rank, unit, occupation, immigration & citizenship, socio-economic status, gender, family status” in its spokes. This is the wheel of social identity factors.
Narrator: Systems of power include prejudice and discrimination that are often associated with the various social identity factors.
(video displays) The same title, illustration and wheel of social identity factors is shown. Below the illustration, the text “Prejudice” appears with the phrase “Negative attitudes, beliefs, and judgments about people & communities”.
Narrator: Prejudice refers to the negative attitudes, beliefs, and judgments about people and communities.
(video displays) The same title, illustration and wheel of social identity factors is shown. Below the illustration, the text “Differences” appears with the phrases “Prejudice is the attitude” and “Discrimination is the behaviour”.
Narrator: While prejudice is the attitude, discrimination is the behaviour based upon these attitudes.
(video displays) The same title, illustration and wheel of social identity factors is shown. Below the illustration, the text “Impact” appears with the phrase “Unfairly assign who has power and who does not based on social identity factors”.
Narrator: Systems of power can unfairly assign who has power and who does not based on social identity factors, directly or indirectly.
(video displays) The same title and illustration is shown. To the right, in green circles, the words “language”, “gender”, “education” and “rank” are shown. To the left, at the bottom, the same illustration of armed officers appears. The text to the left shows “What are the potential negative attitudes or prejudice that may be encountered?” appears. It is then replaced by “How might bias, prejudice, or discrimination appear differently?” and “From whom, and how?”
Narrator: Reflecting back on Ben, what are potential negative attitudes or prejudice that he may encounter as a new recruit? What if the new recruit's language, gender, or educational background changes? How might bias, prejudice, or discrimination appear differently? For whom, and how?
[Section 6. Learning Application]
(video displays) A stylized photograph of DND/CAF members in uniform sitting in a classroom with the text “learning application” is shown. The same graphic depicting a large circle with three circles of smaller size each form before is shown in the left corner. The first and smallest circle says “1. Social Identity Factors”. In quick succession, the second circle text appears “2. Group membership (including social norms)”, followed by the third circle text “3. Institutional Power (including policies and practices)”, finishing with the fourth and largest circle text “4. Systems of Power (including prejudice and discrimination)”.
Narrator: By considering intersectionality through the application of GBA Plus, you are informing your decisions and actions to better support people and communities as a routine part of your work.
(video displays) The stylized photograph of the embroidered Canadian flag of a DND/CAF member uniform with the text “Thank You” is shown.
Narrator: By watching and engaging with the materials in this toolkit, you are joining a broader movement for positive culture change through the application of GBA Plus.
Thank you!
(video displays) The stylized photograph fades away and is replaced by the text “What is Intersectionality?” DND/CAF GBA Plus Toolkit for Junior Officers & Non-Commissioned Leaders.
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