Measurement of Intersectional Microaggressions: Conceptual Barriers and Recommendations

Since Crenshaw coined the term intersectionality in 1989, researchers of bias have struggled with how to capture the complexity and intricacies of intersectional identities and microaggressions experienced by individuals holding these identities within the quantitative framework that dominates psychology. Although scholarship has grown in the exploration of experiences such as racialized sexual harassment, or sexual racism within queer and trans communities, there is no strong consensus on how this might be measured systematically in ways that allow for inferences regarding the experiences of populations of interest. With an emphasis on the experiences of queer and trans people of color, this article explores intersectional identities through three main points: First, we define what is meant by intersectionality and the real-world experiences that are important for advancing an understanding of microaggressions; second, we review the existing measures and their ability to capture the breadth and depth of the lived experience of those with intersectional identities; and third, we propose a framework for the development of a more accurate and comprehensive measure of microaggressions.

Automated summary

Since the term intersectionality was coined by Crenshaw in 1989, bias researchers have been struggling to capture the complexities of intersectional identities and microaggressions within the dominant quantitative framework of psychology. Although there has been growth in scholarship exploring racialized sexual harassment and sexual racism in queer and trans communities, there is still no strong consensus on systematic measurement. This article focuses on the experiences of queer and trans people of color, defining intersectionality, reviewing existing measures, and proposing a framework for a more accurate and comprehensive measure of microaggressions.