Intersectionality
While this module focused predominantly only on certain marginalized communities and the health disparities they face, Numinus recognizes that there are many more marginalized communities who face health disparities and systemic oppression.
Learners are encouraged to commit to ongoing learning about systemic oppression and how each community has been, is, and will be impacted by this marginalization. When discussing oppression, we must also recognize the intersectionality of identities which each come with their own level of power and privilege.
Learn More
To learn more about intersectionality, consider reading Crenshaw’s publication On Intersectionality: Essential Writings.
Activity
To reflect on your own individual privilege, power, and intersectionality, take some time to review the wheel of privilege.
Please note that although this is a tool created within a Canadian context, the concepts can also be adapted to the United States as well as any country or region. Depending on your region, some of the sections in the wheel may be different or differently organized. This activity is about locating yourself on the wheel and how this orientation may inform your biases and interactions with others.
Being able to recognize your privilege is particularly relevant in psychedelic-assisted therapy as clients are in highly suggestible states and can be influenced by what you’re bringing into the therapy room.
Source: Adapted from IRCC, n.d.
Text Version
| Type | More Privelege | Less Privelege | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citizenship | Canadian citizen | Permanent resident | Temporary resident | |
| Indigenous Peoples | Colonizers/Settlers | Indigenous Peoples connected to their communities | Indigenous Peoples without access to their communities | |
| Skin Colour | White | Different shades | Dark | |
| Gender | Cisgender men | Cisgender women | Trans men | Trans women/non-binary |
| Sex | Male | Female | Intersex | |
| Sexuality | Heterosexual | Gay man | Lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, asexual | |
| Persons with disabilities | Without disability | Person with a temporary disability | Visible and non-visible disability | |
| Neurodiversity | Neurotypical | Some neurodivergence | Significant neurodivergence | |
| Mental Health | Stable | Mostly stable | Vulnerable | |
| Language | Bilingual in both official languages | Fluent in one official language | Learned English/French | Non English monolingual |
| Formal Education | Post-secondary | High school | Elementary | |
| Housing | Owns property | Sheltered or renting | Homeless | |
| Wealth | Rich | Middle class | Poor | |
Reflection
As we’ve learned throughout this module, Black, indigenous, and Peoples of colour, People with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ People experience have experienced and continue to experience many health disparities. It is possible that the wide range of trauma experienced by these marginalized communities inside and outside of a health context may be at the heart of mental health conditions, such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, or substance use disorders. As we learned earlier in the course, psychedelic-assisted therapy is being used to treat these types of mental health conditions, and it is therefore possible that clients may seek to access psychedelic-assisted therapy with these traumas.
Reflect on how it could be vital for health professionals in all contexts (but especially psychedelic-assisted therapy) to commit to ongoing learning about the systemic inequities, oppression, and traumas that marginalized communities experience.
If you feel comfortable sharing, please write your reflection here. Your responses will not be visible to other learners.
References
Crenshaw, K. W. (2017). On Intersectionality: Essential Writings. Columbia Law School
IRCC (N.d.) Wheel of privilege and power [PDF]. Government of Canada.