intersectional

adjective

in·ter·sec·tion·al | \ ˌin-tər-ˈsek-shnəl

, -shə-nᵊl\

Definition of intersectional

1a : of or relating to intersectionality Because the intersectional experience is greater than the sum of racism and sexism, any analysis that does not take intersectionality into account cannot sufficiently address the particular manner in which Black women are subordinated.— Kimberlé Crenshaw

b : involving members of multiple social categories … I was near my home, in the midst of a multiracial, multigenerational, intersectional protest. I joined hundreds of others in the streets.— Kira Banks

2 [ inter- + ¹sectional ] : existing between sections intersectional war an intersectional game

3 : of or relating to an intersection intersectional joints/lines

Examples of intersectional in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In order for the feminist movement to truly be progressive and intersectional, white women must face this fact and begin to take on their load of work. — Rachel Elizabeth Cargle, Harper's BAZAAR, "When Feminism Is White Supremacy in Heels," 16 Aug. 2018 An uncompromising, intersectional, feminist hunger to fix this world. — Teen Vogue, "Are Shaved Heads Just a Fashion Trend or a Political Statement For Women?," 18 Apr. 2018 The program also aims to be intersectional; this past February, Campus Ambassadors wrote and released an open letter to Congress calling for sensible gun reform after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. — Lily Herman, Teen Vogue, "GLAAD Campus Ambassador Program Applications Now Open," 25 July 2018 Some organizations who are doing an excellent job of taking an intersectional approach to fitness are Women’s Strength Coalition, Fear Her Fight Athletics, and Decolonizing Fitness. — SELF, "Trainers and Fitness Pros Can't Help People of Color While Remaining Silent About Racism," 1 Nov. 2018 Nearly overnight, major news outlets published explainers on intersectionality and intersectional feminism. — Kory Stamper, The Cut, "A Brief, Convoluted History of the Word ‘Intersectionality’," 9 Mar. 2018 Liesl Tommy directs the intersectional drama for MCC. — Alexis Soloski, New York Times, "13 Plays and Musicals to Go to in NYC This Weekend," 15 Feb. 2018 Their characters are diverse in gender, race, and sexuality, at the same damn time, proving that an intersectional approach to inclusion takes care, not rocket science. — refinery29.com, "This New Study Proves That Hollywood Does Not Get Intersectionality," 23 May 2018 Percentages were slightly higher for cable and streaming, but the good news is these numbers are increasing and diversifying across the board and are becoming more intersectional. — Sarah Midkiff, refinery29.com, "Ellen DeGeneres Opened Up To Jerry Seinfeld About The Harsh Reality Of Being Gay On TV," 8 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'intersectional.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.