Feminism promotes equality between men and women, and argues that we must address historical power imbalances in order to bring about such equality. Intersectional feminism builds on this idea, but...

Feminism promotes equality between men and women, and argues that we must address historical power imbalances in order to bring about such equality. Intersectional feminism builds on this idea, but recognizes that gender is not the only source of privilege or oppression: race, class, nationality, sexual orientation, disability status, etc. are other factors. We have complex identities, and a person can be privileged in some ways, but oppressed in others. Thus, intersectional feminism brings greater nuance to the quest for equality. What are some possible benefits and drawbacks of using the concept of “intersectionality” to analyze literature? How might this concept help us better understand the themes or characters of a work?