Coined the term 'intersectionality.' I helped develop critical race theory. Here's why. - The Boston Globe

Coined the term 'intersectionality.' I helped develop critical race theory. Here's why. The Boston Globe piece recounts a personal memory of exclusion and solidarity within elite Harvard circles, tracing how gender and race intersected in real-life discrimination. The narrator recalls standing at the front door of a Fly Club event where women were barred from entry, juxtaposed with a male friend who could access privileged spaces. The tension between belonging to Black identity and supporting gender equality becomes a central theme, illustrating the complexity of allyship and structural exclusion. The author reflects on how experiences of exclusion shaped later scholarly work and activism, acknowledging that a perfect solution remained elusive but emphasizing the necessity of recognizing multiple intersecting identities in social justice discourse.