Kimberlé Crenshaw’s concept of intersectionality offers a way of understanding faith through interconnected systems of identity, power, and inequality. Kimberlé Crenshaw (1989) argues that experiences cannot be understood through a single category such as religion, race, or gender alone, as these identities overlap and shape experiences of inclusion and marginalisation. Faith is therefore experienced differently depending on factors such as race, gender, class, migration status, and the institutional environments people navigate. Reviewing short films and academic sources demonstrates how these intersections can intensify stereotyping, exclusion, and inequality.
Kwame Anthony Appiah’s talk Is Religion Good or Bad? (2014) argues that religion cannot be viewed simply as “good” or “bad”, but gains meaning through the social and cultural contexts in which it is practised. From an intersectional perspective, this highlights how faith is shaped through relationships with identity and power, influencing how individuals are perceived and treated. Similarly, Trinity University’s video Challenging Race, Religion, and Stereotypes in the Classroom (2016) demonstrates how faith and race can combine to produce stereotyping, where students are treated as representatives of a religion rather than as individuals. This can affect belonging and participation within educational spaces.
Hassan Jawad (2022) explores how visible Muslim women in sport navigate both religious identity and gendered expectations in public spaces. Their visibility can lead to scrutiny, exclusion, or pressure to justify religious dress and practice. Likewise, Reki (2023) discusses epistemic injustice, where individuals from religious minorities may not be taken seriously as knowers. This can become more pronounced when faith intersects with race or migration status, meaning some voices are valued more readily than others in institutional settings. Across these sources, recurring themes include visibility, stereotyping, and the negotiation of identity within secular institutions such as schools and universities.
In my own experience as a student in an A Level English class, a peer’s strong religious beliefs shaped how they engaged with texts and discussions, interpreting ideas through a faith-based framework. They frequently felt the need to justify viewpoints in religious terms, leading to extended discussion and disagreement. While these moments created valuable dialogue, they also disrupted lesson flow and highlighted how faith can interact with classroom expectations and participation.
Coming from a mixed-ethnicity background with both Muslim and Christian heritage, I have developed an understanding of the complexities of navigating multiple cultural and faith identities. This positionality allows me to empathise with the pressure to fit in, avoid causing offence, and remain authentic and connected to faith and community. At times, I have felt obliged to behave differently in certain spaces, creating a sense that I could never fully be myself. These experiences reinforce the importance of creating inclusive educational environments where all identities are recognised and valued.
As an educator, these insights encourage me to continually reflect on how to reduce barriers and foster inclusive learning spaces where students can openly explore cultural and spiritual dimensions of their beliefs. I am reminded of something my father, who was raised within a strict Muslim tradition, once told me when I asked as a child what religion was about: “It is hundreds of doors that all lead to the same place.” This perspective has profoundly shaped my teaching philosophy and continues to guide the way I encourage respect, dialogue, and belonging within my classroom.
References:
Appiah, K.A. (2014) Is religion good or bad? (This is a trick question). YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2et2KO8gcY (Accessed: 10 May 2026).
Kimberlé Crenshaw
Crenshaw, K. (1989) ‘Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: a Black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory and antiracist politics’, University of Chicago Legal Forum, 1989(1), pp. 139–167.
Trinity University
Trinity University (2016) Challenging race, religion, and stereotypes in the classroom. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CAOKTo_DOk (Accessed: 10 May 2026).
Hajar Jawad
Jawad, H. (2022) ‘Islam, women and sport: the case of visible Muslim women’, LSE Religion and Global Society Blog. Available at: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/religionglobalsociety/2022/09/islam-women-and-sport-the-case-of-visible-muslim-women/ (Accessed: 10 May 2026).
Jungmin Reki
Reki, J. (2023) ‘Religious identity and epistemic injustice: an intersectional account’, Hypatia, 38(4), pp. 779–800.