The 21st of March marks the International Day against Racism and Discrimination. A day to reflect on the injustices that affect millions of people every day, and which weigh even more heavily on women* and gender minorities.
March 21 was not chosen arbitrarily. On that day in 1960, police in Sharpeville, South Africa, still living under the apartheid regime, opened fire on a peaceful demonstration. What was meant to be a protest against apartheid escalated into a massacre, in which 69 people were shot dead. Six years later, in 1966, the United Nations declared March 21 the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. This tragic event indirectly contributed to the development of the concept of intersectionality.
Intersectionality
Imagine a crossroads with a person at its centre. Each road leading to it represents a different characteristic of who that person is: nationality, sexuality, ethnicity, class, gender, religion, … These factors differ from individual to individual and influence or reinforce one another, meaning each person experiences a unique form of discrimination or privilege. This is what is meant by intersectional thinking, and it is what guides countless feminist organisations today, including Amazone.
Where did it come from?
The roots of this term lie with women’s rights activist and abolitionist Sojourner Truth. In 1851, she delivered a speech that went down in history with the words “Ain’t I a Woman?”, in which she highlighted the invisibility of Black women within both the women’s movement and the civil rights struggle. The concept of intersectionality as we know it today was introduced in 1989 by American legal scholar and professor Kimberlé Crenshaw. She demonstrated that discrimination on the grounds of race and gender are inextricably intertwined.
Discrimination
Although racism is punishable by law, figures from Unia show that it remains widespread in a multicultural city such as Brussels. In 2024, Unia received approximately six hundred reports of racism, of which three hundred came from women* and non-binary people. These figures do not give a complete picture of Brussels, meaning the actual numbers are likely higher. This may be linked to the fact that victims do not always come forward, out of shame or distrust of the system.
What now?
On the 24th of March, Ella vzw is organising a round table on intersectional thinking. Would you like to better understand what intersectionality means? Have a look at their Instagram: @ella_vzw. Have you yourself been a victim of racism? Report it to Unia, every report counts.
Marwa Ben Ammi
Intern Amazone
