YouTube vlogger Akilah Hughes is one of the smartest, funniest voices on the Internet, and in her lastest video she tackles the complicated topic of intersectionality in feminism. For those not up on their social justice lingo, intersectionality is the idea that those who are part of multiple oppressed groups (i.e. black women, gay women, etc.) deal with a wide swath of overlapping discrimination and disadvantages. To make that concept just a little easier to grasp, Hughes breaks it down using a simple example: pizza.
In her metaphor, men are burgers and women are pizza (burgers being the more widespread fast food option). But things aren’t so simple because there are also different kinds of pizza. In Hughes’ metaphor, white women are ubiquitous cheese pizza while women who face multiple forms of oppression are the less-common deluxe pizza.
It might sound a little confusing, but just watch Hughes’ simple video to learn why feminists need to make sure they keep issues of intersectionality in mind when fighting for equality.