Political Participation of Women of Color: An Intersectional Analysis

This article develops the hypothesis that participation in American politics of minority women differs from political participation of white women. I propose that individuals with multiple subordinate group identities, namely, racial and ethnic minority women, will experience differences in political mobilization and interest in politics and demonstrate different participatory styles than white women do. On the basis of their identity in racial/ethnic identity groups, minority women operate as both racial/ethnic minorities and women in the American polity. As such, the analysis models intersectionality to account for historical narratives, cultural representations, and legal discrimination to show how both race/ethnicity and gender operate in tandem to influence how minority women participate in American politics.