Over the past years, human rights activists and different anti-inequality social movements have directed their efforts to fight discrimination resulting from a single social classification system, such as class, race, sexual orientation, or gender. For instance, feminist movements are more concerned with fighting for gender equality and equal opportunities for men and women in the private and public sectors. At the same time, anti-racist social movements such as the black panther party have focused on protecting black people from different manifestations of racial discrimination. Even though these activists and anti-inequality social movements have brought significant gains in the fight for equality, they have not effectively eliminated discrimination in organizations. One of the main hindrances to the fight for equality in organizations is the intersection of different social identities. The intersection of two or more social identities in organizations creates complex forms of discrimination, such as gender-based violence against women of colour in the workplace, disparate treatment, racial disparities, healthcare biases against lower-class African Americans, and employment discrimination against black men from lower-class neighbourhoods. These intersectional dynamics in organizations are prevalent in most diverse states, such as Texas. Complex forms of discrimination resulting from the intersection of two or more social identities hinder the fight for equality in Texas-based organizations.
Intersectionality is a framework used to examine how different social identities combine to form a complex form of discrimination (Crenshaw 6:54). The framework can be utilized to study intersectional dynamics in Texas-based organizations. Texas has the highest back population and is the second most diverse state in the United States (Kaplan 198). However, prejudices based on class, gender, and racial stereotypes are deeply rooted in most societies across Texas. The origin of these stereotypes and prejudices dates back to early history and evolution. According to Kearney, the state of Texas was founded by white people whose primary goal was to expand slavery in the US (25). Their attempts to promote and expand slavery through public policies resulted in a civil war and hate crimes. These hate crimes were fueled by racial remarks and controversial laws overrepresenting white men. While specific laws have been implemented to prohibit biases and discrimination against a protected class, complex forms of discrimination have emerged in organizations across Texas.
In most organizations in Texas, white women are more likely to be employed or promoted to top managerial positions than black women. This type of discrimination against black women stems from the belief that men are more capable of holding administrative positions than women and that whites are superior to blacks (Smart 169). Ramos’s interview with one of the members of hate groups revealed that many whites believe they are superior to other races (10:33). For this reason, they tend to overlook the skills or level of competence portrayed by individuals who are non-whites. On the other hand, gender-based prejudices deep-rooted in most patriarchal societies across Texas outweigh the perceived benefits of promoting a woman to the top managerial positions. Therefore, the intersection of gender and racial prejudices in the job promotion or recruitment process limits a black woman’s probability of being employed in a top managerial position.
Intersectional dynamics also manifest in healthcare organizations across Texas. According to Carballo, “Texas ranks among the worst Statwa in the nation for racial health disparities (2021).” Various quality and affordable care programs have been implemented in Texas-based healthcare organizations, yet access to quality healthcare still is limited to whites from wealthy backgrounds. Patients from low-income black or Latino neighbourhoods are less likely to receive quality care in some public hospitals (Carballo n.d). At the same time, patients from low-income black n or Latino communities are more likely to have treatment delayed since more focus and resources are directed to whites from wealthy backgrounds. A health policy foundation in New York ranked Texas among the most discriminatory states in terms of equal access to quality and affordable healthcare. A report from the health policy foundation confirmed that white patients from wealthy backgrounds are less likely to experience worse health outcomes than black and Latinos from low-income neighbourhoods. Hence, the intersection of class and race limits the right to quality and affordable healthcare for low-income blacks and Latinos in Texas.
The other intersectional dynamic in Texas-based organizations is gender-based violence against women of colour. While feminist movements often overlook the fact that violence and harassment against women are not only triggered by deep-rooted gender stereotypes but also racial and class-based prejudices. Bates’s description of hood feminism reveals that black women’s concerns differ from those of white women due to socioeconomic stereotypes and racial privileges (2021). Black women from lower-class populations are more likely to experience gender-based violence or harassment in their workplace compared to white women. Still, immediate disciplinary actions are taken if a white woman complains of gender-based harassment.
On the other hand, most authorities or managers tend to be reluctant when a black woman complains of gender-based violence. Also, there are cases where black women were sacked upon complaining of gender-based violence. Smart’s research findings reveal that many black women employed in a white-dominated company are forced to work in a humiliating or intimidating environment and experience various forms of discrimination (171). Such women are exposed to unwanted physical contact, inappropriate jokes, or even asked for sexual favours. Smart reveal that managers often take advantage of the vulnerability of most black women from low-income neighbourhoods to ask for sexual favours in exchange for a job opportunity.
In conclusion, intersectionality explores the interconnection of social classification systems such as class, gender, and race. The interconnection of these social identities results in complex forms of discrimination that increase social inequality. Texas has the highest black population, yet its societies have deep-rooted racial and socioeconomic stereotypes. These stereotypes combine to form complex discriminations, including gender-based violence against women of colour, disparate treatment, and health disparities based on class and race. The recruitment processes, customer service, and interrelationships in various organizations across Texas are shaped by the intersection of class, race, and gender. Therefore, intersectional dynamics in Texas-based organizations demonstrate the need to understand the complexity of workplace discrimination and collaborate in the fight for equality.
Work Cited
Bates, Karen Grigsby. “What Does ' Hood Feminism' Mean For A Pandemic?” Npr, 2020,
Carballo, Rebecca. “Houston Chronicle: Texas Ranks among Worst in the Nation for Racial Health Disparities .” Lloyd Doggett, 2021, https://doggett.house.gov/media/in-the-news/houston-chronicle-texas-ranks-among-worst-nation-racial-health-disparities.
Crenshaw, Kimberlé, director. The Urgency of Intersectionality. YouTube, TED, 2017,
https://www.npr.org/2020/05/05/850963562/what-does-hood-feminism-mean-for-a-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akOe5-UsQ2o. Accessed 31 Jan. 2023.
Kaplan, Barry J. “7 HOUSTON: THE GOLDEN BUCKLE OF THE SUNBELT.” Sunbelt cities. The University of Texas Press, 2021. 196-212.
Kearney, James C. Nassau Plantation: The Evolution of a Texas-German Slave Plantation. University of North Texas Press, 2010.
Ramos, Jorge, director. Hate Rising. YouTube, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-
Smart, Benjamin D., et al. “Transgender women of color in the US South: a qualitative study of social determinants of health and healthcare perspectives.” International Journal of Transgender Health 23.1-2 (2022): 164-177.
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