The intersection of factors like race, class, and sexual orientation with gender can have a significant impact on women’s experiences and opportunities. This is known as intersectionality.

Women of color, for example, may face both sexism and racism, compounding the challenges they encounter. Women from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may have fewer educational and economic opportunities compared to more privileged women. And LGBTQ+ women may confront both gender-based discrimination as well as homophobia or transphobia.

These intersecting identities and systems of oppression can lead to unique barriers and disparities for different groups of women. Women of color may face higher rates of poverty, violence, and health disparities compared to white women. Transgender women and gender non-conforming individuals often face extreme marginalization and violence. And working-class women may have less access to reproductive healthcare, childcare support, and other resources.

At the same time, the specific ways these factors interact can vary widely based on cultural context, geographic location, historical legacies, and other contextual factors. The experiences of a middle-class cisgender Black woman in the United States, for instance, may differ significantly from those of a poor transgender Latina woman in Mexico.

Addressing these intersectional inequities requires an approach that considers the full complexity of individuals’ lived experiences. Broad-based efforts to advance gender equity must be coupled with targeted interventions to support the most marginalized women and girls. Only then can we work towards a more truly inclusive and equitable society.