Final answer:
Intersectionality is a concept that explains how different social identities, like gender, age, race, and class, intersect to influence an individual's life experiences and societal treatment. It emphasizes the complexity of multiple forms of discrimination and privileges that people face due to their intersecting identities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept that describes the multiple, interconnected social identities such as gender, age, race, and class, and their impact on individuals' lives and treatment in society, is Intersectionality. The term was coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw and extensively developed by Patricia Hill Collins. Intersectionality takes into account that individuals may have characteristics that combine to create unique experiences of oppression or privilege, shaped by systems of power within specific contexts.
It's understood within this framework that identities are not mutually exclusive, but are interwoven and cannot be separated when discussing experiences of oppression. For instance, the experience of prejudice against a white woman because of her gender differs significantly from the layered prejudice faced by a poor Asian woman, who is impacted by biases related to her socioeconomic status, gender, and ethnicity.
Therefore, Intersectionality highlights the complex way in which multiple forms of discrimination, such as racism, sexism, and classism, may intersect in the lives of individuals, affecting their experiences, perspectives, and how they are treated in society.