Studying Individual Identities Is Good, But Examining Intersectionality Is Better

As diversity researchers, it is encouraging to see seasoned scholars discussing the need to study demographic populations that have been historically silenced in our literature. At the same time, although studying singular identities (such as gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and size) is useful in demonstrating the unique experiences of members of individual groups, investigating the intersection of multiple identities will ultimately provide us with a more holistic perspective on the impact of identity at work. The focal article by Ruggs et al. (2013) suggests this but also underscores the potentially distracting nature of studying multiple identities at once, as well as the possibility for individuals without stigmatized identities to claim that they are also diverse in some way. Though these concerns are worth consideration, we believe it is important to pursue research on singular identities only as a building block to a larger end goal: Studying and understanding the realities of identity through intersectional research. The following commentary will outline our reasons for why studying multiple intersecting identities is vital to achieving a more complete view of diversity at work.