Background:
Advocates of intersectionality are increasingly, publicly, rejecting Jewish participation in their dialogues and activities. The idea that rejecting Jews based on their Jewish identity is becoming socially acceptable is highly disturbing.
Much has been written on this subject, particularly following examples where groups advocating for intersectional solidarity rejected Jewish participation.
One of the better-known examples of this is Linda Sarsour’s declaration that “Zionists cannot be feminists.” In another case, Jewish women waving were asked to leave a gay pride march because they waved the Jewish LGBTQ flag (which is emblazoned with the Star of David). There have been numerous other examples that are not necessary to repeat here.
What is intersectionality anyway?
Intersectionality is a theory, first conceptualized in relation to the feminist movement, in response to the exclusion of black women from the movement. The idea was that the forms of oppression experienced by white middle-class women were different from those experienced by black, poor, or disabled women. While intersectionality works to unite women with the goal of liberating all women, in practice, the combatting identities (black vs white) form an exclusionary space.
Intersectionality defines groups of people by their race, gender or other physical characteristics and measures each based on how oppressed the group is. Different groups are expected to unite to fight oppression based on the solidarity of mutual victimhood.
Ejecting Jews from the intersectional equation
Various progressive Jewish groups and individuals strive to be included in the activities of their counterparts from other elements of society. We, who have suffered, perhaps more than any other nation on earth, have empathy and are always willing to help other oppressed people. Why then, is it that other oppressed groups rarely stand in solidarity with us? What should we do about this?
For many, the answer to this question is that it is necessary to combat the lies used to eject Jews from the intersectional equation so that we can claim our rightful “place at the table.”
The most common of these lies are:
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