
Dedicated to the myriad of unique students all over the world who deserve to be seen as a person of many -isms and not defined by any one. We are all complex beings impacted by our own intersectionality.

The Adventures of
Tide Pool Living
An Intersectionality Metaphor
Did you know?!
The ocean is home to an unknown number of species; 95% of the ocean remains unexplored! It's amazing to wonder how many especial creatures exist that remain undiscovered.
Humans are extremely complex and cannot be understood by examining just one aspect or characteristic of a person's life. Racism, classism, ableism, sexism, ageism, religion, geographic location, and history are a few factors that result in inequalities and oppression. "According to an intersectionality perspective, inequities are never the result of single, distinct factors. Rather, they are the outcome of intersections of different social locations, power relations and experiences" (Hankivsky, 2014, p. 2).


Preface
Living under the sea is wondrous. Creatures exist in relative harmony, some sticking to their own cretaceous kind while others mingle with mammals or shellfish. Sometimes there are scuffles and discontent, but mostly the waters are calm. This is just how life works under the water.
Every now and again, a wave will wash a lucky collection of creatures onto the shore. These tide pools are a temporary home of acceptance, fear, and celebration as creatures meet each other and learn to coexist for the first time.
Did you know?!
Tide pools have three major zones: splash, intertidal, and subtidal. Each zone has its own unique habitat which offers safety and danger to its inhabitants.
Dominant (i.e., white, male, Christian) and subordinate (i.e., woman, elderly, poor) identities often allow a person to experience privilege and oppression, sometimes simultaneously, throughout their lifetime.


Early one warm summer morning, a menagerie of animals washed into an intercoastal tide pool. Among the salt water was a sea horse, a crab, a sea star, a barnacle, and a few tough mussels. Immediately upon drifting into the pool, the sea creatures frantically searched around for their friends, others just like them, often avoiding the strangers lurking behind the seaweed.
Did you know?!
Although sea anemones resemble flowers, they are invertebrates possessing venomous tentacles. Sea anemones are related to corals and jellyfish.
Like anemones, people should not be judged by the color of their skin, the religion they practice, or by how well they can walk. Isms (classism, racism, ableism, sexism) affect how we perceive others and impact our life experiences. As individuals, people must discover who they are and have a sense of self-identify on micro, meso, and macro levels.


The wise old sea anemone, Terence (AKA Terry,) had lived in the tide pool for its entire life. He inquisitively watched the new arrival of animals scurry about, knowing that these organisms would soon need to learn how to get along and treat each other fairly. More importantly, they would each need to be honest about who they are as a sea creature in order to find peace and harmony in their new environment. Terry believed each creature was more complex than what he was able to see with his eyes.
Did you know?!
The male seahorse gives birth to the babies. When a pair is ready to reproduce, the female seahorse will deposit her eggs into the male's abdominal pouch where he will fertilize them. Pregnancy lasts from 10 to 25 days depending on species.
Although seahorses are not hermaphrodites like the sea star, they do challenge our human expectations of gender. “Once gender is ascribed, the social order constructs and holds individual to strongly gendered norms and expectations” (Adams et al., 2018, p. 356). Women are one group that has historically been oppressed. However, it is possible for a White, middle class woman to experience privilege while a Latin woman of wealth might experience oppression.


Having lived alongside many generations of clownfish, Terry realized that living symbiotically could be very challenging, especially when animals came to the tide pool with differences.
For instance, Stewart the sea horse was pregnant! Now, no other male animal in the entire ocean had this talent. As soon as the new mussels realized Stewart's condition, their shells snapped in disgrace.
Did you know?!
Mussels are a shellfish, just like scallops and oysters. While mussels are easily recognized by their black or brown outer shell, oysters are known for their ability to create pearls. Did you know that not all pearls are perfect in shape or color?
Humans are multi-dimensional beings, often associating themselves with others based on a common characteristic such as nationality, religion, history, language, gender, or class (just to name a few). Social groups are defined by set identity; intersectionality aims to examine how these identities create a person's story.


Terry, with pride in his voice, stopped the mussels before they could even begin.
"Sea horses are beautiful and unique creatures. Seahorse dads have a gift which allows them to birth their young. Never discriminate against another organism. Seek understanding!"
The mussels grumbled and clapped their shells together in distrust of Terry's words. Terry knew he had his work cut out for him.
Did you know?!
Albinism occurs in about 1 out of a 1,000 births and affects an animals eyes and development. Their lack of pigment also leads to higher rates of predation as albino animals cannot camouflage in the wild.
Power and oppression are situational, meaning it can occur at any level of society. Racism can occur due to privilege from the color of skin, where someone was born, or being marginalized. Racism can be seen in all levels of organization and life.


The mussels then turned their attention to Chrissy the albino crab. They eyed her up and down, judging her from the outside, for what she looked like. The mussels were terrified as they were not used to seeing an organism so very different from themselves. They could not fathom being white. Such a drab color among the radiant mosaic of the ocean. She definitely belonged on the bottom of the tide pool.
Did you know?!
Albino animals struggle with obtaining mates due to their unique coloring. Albinos are often shunned in their environment; similarly, people can experience oppression and discrimination based on differences in their skin color or abilities.
People who experience privilege often consider their life experiences as normal (Chin, 2015). It is essential to ask questions and seek information to better understand others. "Reflexivity acknowledges the importance of power at the micro level" (Hankivsky, 2014, p. 10) while encouraging critical awareness.


"Now listen here, we don't judge anybody in this tide pool! We work together for everyone's survival," Terry stated with sincerity and firmness in his voice. "Chrissy is beautiful, inside and out. Her unique coloring is incredibly rare! Did you know that Chrissy will molt and her new shell might be a different color? We are all more complex than just the color of our shells. Do you know how much Chrissy enjoys eating algae which helps keep this pool clean? Without her, we will get sick. "
The mussels gave Terry the side eye, but didn't say a word to Chrissy.
Did you know?!
Sea stars are able to regenerate legs due to their genetics. Most sea stars are able to regenerate any of their limbs or even a whole new organism due to this gene!
Santiago lives with a genetic disorder. Genetic disorders occur because of a cell mutation which means that Santiago has no choice regarding his ability to regenerate. Marginalized groups often feel powerless as a result of the power or privilege of others. People in these groups cannot change who they are to alleviate the oppression.


The sea star, Santiago, had also floated into this tide pool. He was proud of his heritage but nervous about meeting new creatures as he was a disabled star. All starfish can regrow their legs...except for Santiago. The mussels, fully aware of being tasty morsels of goodness to a sea star, were bravely calling Santiago Foursy, eager to claim their status as dominant species!
Santiago sadly gazed at the menacing mussels. "I know that I am missing one of my legs, but I am still strong. I can be useful in this tide pool. But I can see that you don't want me here so at the next tide, I will leave. Please, just leave me alone."
Did you know?!
Sea stars eat mussels and use their strong legs to pull open a mussel shell. Hopefully the mussels don't upset Santiago.
"On a cultural level, ableism is apparent in standards of beauty, values related to strength and intellect, and communication centered on visual and auditory abilities" (Adams et al., 2018, p. 268). These ideas of what is accepted as normal reinforces discriminatory attitudes. To understand our own attitudes, we must understand the overlapping and intertwined identities that make up our intersectionality.
Image: Alemán, R. (2018, April 24). What is intersectionality, and what does it have to do with me?.


"Woah, Santiago," Terry chided. "We need to work together in this tide pool and we need you. Your four legs are strong and you can help pull friends to safety. What if another starfish floats in missing an arm or a crab missing a claw? You cannot let those mussels bully you," Terry encouraged.
Santiago raised his tubed feet and nervously agreed. He knew he was different from other sea stars who feasted on mussels. Santiago did not care for the tough grit of mussel but rather enjoyed feasting on plankton. If only he can get the mussels to understand him, he thought.
Did you know?!
Barnacles have two stages of life, nymph and adult. As nymphs they don't eat! Adult barnacles are covered in shells to protect them from predators.
As citizens in a global world, it is important to understand how cultural values and beliefs shape society. Paying for a meal can be both socially acceptable and a sign of disrespect; showing your hair and shoulders can either violate cultural norms or be a sign of confidence. Leaders must understand that "culturally informed practices can be likened to a bridge that helps transcend the gulf or a chasm of differences in practices, expectations, and modes of communication that separate persons" (Chin, 2015, p. 29). Schools can help build bridges beyond single identities by encouraging development of intersectional understanding and by disrupting prejudices (Beck, 2014).


Amid all the noise, a tiny little barnacle's voice could barely be heard as it stated, "I'm able to reproduce by myself, once I am an adult, of course. When I mature and attach, I will be stuck in this tide pool forever. I want my home to be a healthy and accepting environment for all organisms. Barnacles can be so many different colors and many are hermaphrodites. We all need to be accepted for who we are, inside and out. Please, let's work together to find peace. Let's get to know each other."
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Dedicated to the myriad of unique students all over the world who deserve to be seen as a person of many -isms and not defined by any one. We are all complex beings impacted by our own intersectionality.

The Adventures of
Tide Pool Living
An Intersectionality Metaphor
Did you know?!
The ocean is home to an unknown number of species; 95% of the ocean remains unexplored! It's amazing to wonder how many especial creatures exist that remain undiscovered.
Humans are extremely complex and cannot be understood by examining just one aspect or characteristic of a person's life. Racism, classism, ableism, sexism, ageism, religion, geographic location, and history are a few factors that result in inequalities and oppression. "According to an intersectionality perspective, inequities are never the result of single, distinct factors. Rather, they are the outcome of intersections of different social locations, power relations and experiences" (Hankivsky, 2014, p. 2).


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