The videoconference began with a presentation by Janan Zapata, board member of Civis, about the concept of intersectionality. In brief, the term refers to how power and inequality within society are woven into the notion of identity categories such as sex/gender, sexuality, age, class, integrity and ethnicity.
By claiming that there are multiple co-dependent power structures, an intersectional perspective seeks to dissolve the boundaries between the different social categories and focus attention on how they interact. Power dichotomies categorize people into two categories such as within gender (man versus woman), class (upper/middle class versus lower/working class), ethnicity (western/white versus non-western/black) and age (adult versus child/adolescent).
It gives them standardized attributes (independent, intelligent, modern, mature versus non-independent, stupid, backward, immature) that interact and strengthen each other resulting in uneven power structures. Also, Janan pointed out, they should be made visible and attacked from different angles since power structures create violence. An organization that negotiates with power structures can win deeper structural transformation at the macro-level - for example, the successful work of Civis and ACOOC, which led to a change in Colombia’s conscientious objection legislative.
Lesbiapolis presented their Colombian work, which focuses on creating consciousness of gender diversity, combating prejudices about LGBT people, making oppression within institutions and violations of the law visible, and assisting victims. They then discussed their cooperation with authorities and the police, and how they influenced public notaries in LTBT policy issues.
Lesbiapolis has a great deal of support from within the legal framework. There is a concern is that despite a positive response from young people, some - among them law-students - continue to reproduce prejudices and ideas against LGBT persons.
Red de Jóvenes from Magdalena Medio have 10 years of experience in 27 communities in youth-related issues. They have identified several problems: the limited access to University and the labour market, the pressure to participate in combat, high inequality levels and communication difficulties. To a large extent, the region retains machista culture and discrimination against women. Any women rejecting the culture are forced into the feminist movement. The result is a struggle for power rather than a united and complementing gender-cooperation.
Civis will further develop a methodological base for how organizations can put the intersectionality concept into practice.
From Colombia, Red de Jovenes, Lesbiapolis, ESAP University along with students and other committed young people from Atlantico, Meta, Boyaca, Caldas, Santander, Antioquia, Risaralda, Tolima, Huila and Risaralda participated in this videoconference. Students from Gothenburg University’s faculty of Global Studies participated from Sweden in the conscientious objection discussion.
There is also another videoconference planned for November 30th with participation from Mexico and Bolivia, in addition to Civis Colombia and Sweden. The subjects for discussion will be peace, poverty and social exclusion, and the role that youths and youth organizations have today and in the future to improve the situation.
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