Terence Crutcher was killed by a white female cop- that matters

Another police shooting. Another innocent Black person killed by police. The “crime” this time? Apparent car trouble. 40- year old Terence Crutcher, father of four, was unarmed when he was killed by a shot to the stomach. (I am not linking videos, or articles because they all embed the video)

If we are ever going to take any major steps towards eradicating the racist social inequity that leads to the routine death of Black folks, we have to have a serious discussion about the glaring difference between this shooting and others in the recent past: Terence Crutcher was killed by a white female cop- Betty Shelby- that matters.

Let’s think about this in the context of a resurfacing of the term “intersectionality” in social justice conversations. Why does this matter? Because the “progressive” movement has been quick to trot out another oppressed identity when the conversation of white privilege comes up.

Intersectionality (an incredibly BRIEF review)

The term “intersectionality” was coined by scholarship powerhouse Kimberlé W. Crenshaw, who sought to document the complications women of color face in institutions of power, and to push for action to diversify the women’s movement. She continues work as a Professor at UCLA Law, and co founded a think tank for African American policy reform. Another scholar powerhouse is Patricia Hill Collins, whose infamous book, Black Feminist Thought, lays a solid foundation for Black feminist studies. Her recent book, Intersectionality, is a must read if you want to know the basics of the concept.

What does this mean?

An example of intersectionality IS:

“Black women have compounded barriers of race, gender, and class. This is incredibly hard for them to navigate. Let’s talk about intersectionality here!”

An example of intersectionality IS NOT:

“I know I’m white, but I’m also a woman. So there’s privilege, yes, but other are other things, too. Let’s talk about intersectionality here!”