Archived Abstracts
Regaining The Power of the Intersectional Other
Location
Room 215, Schewel Hall
Access Type
Open Access
Entry Number
55
Start Date
4-8-2020 2:45 PM
End Date
4-8-2020 3:00 PM
Department
English
Abstract
There is a hierarchy that places rich, cisgender, heterosexual, white men on the top. To maintain their power and prevent the "other" from climbing, the hierarchy must be maintained, and people do this through language. More specifically, dehumanizing language like slurs are meant to attack identities that differ from the RCHWM, placing the victim as an other against the superstructure of society. When minorities use this type of language, they fight for provisional power in the lower portion of the hierarchy while also maintaining the top's unbreakable power. Through reclamation, discriminated groups may regain power stripped from them while accepting and becoming prideful of their identities. This takes power away from the top, and forces their ranks to be penetrable. To assure this demolition of power structure, other minorities should refrain from using those terms as well as the inevitable slurs that would replace the ones that were reclaimed. Ultimately, the division of the Intersectional Other grants the top power, whereas a united other regains this stolen power.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Leslie Layne
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Regaining The Power of the Intersectional Other
Room 215, Schewel Hall
There is a hierarchy that places rich, cisgender, heterosexual, white men on the top. To maintain their power and prevent the "other" from climbing, the hierarchy must be maintained, and people do this through language. More specifically, dehumanizing language like slurs are meant to attack identities that differ from the RCHWM, placing the victim as an other against the superstructure of society. When minorities use this type of language, they fight for provisional power in the lower portion of the hierarchy while also maintaining the top's unbreakable power. Through reclamation, discriminated groups may regain power stripped from them while accepting and becoming prideful of their identities. This takes power away from the top, and forces their ranks to be penetrable. To assure this demolition of power structure, other minorities should refrain from using those terms as well as the inevitable slurs that would replace the ones that were reclaimed. Ultimately, the division of the Intersectional Other grants the top power, whereas a united other regains this stolen power.