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Originally posted by twhrider13
I'm not exactly sure if this question really fits into the discussion or not, but I didn't want to start a new thread on it because I don't think it's that different. I'm taking Survey of Black Literature in America this semester, and my professor has brought up a lot of interesting questions and things I'd never thought of before. Today in class, we discussed how, back in the days of slavery, black women were at a double disadvantage because of both their race and their gender.
We all know that both racism and sexism still persist. It's not like either were confined to the 1860's. So, my question is, for black women, do you think you encounter more racism or more sexism today? Or would you say it's more intertwined? Like, do you feel that any discrimination that's directed at you is more because you're "black," or more because you're "a woman," or more because you're "a black woman?" I know it's hard to say on something like that, but I was just curious. Sorry for the mini-hijack, by the way. 
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That sounds like a good class.
I'm going to force myself to answer this complex question with four sentences. It will be vague and I apologize in advance:
There are time when the intersectionality of race and gender has a positive impact and times when it has a negative impact. Instead of placing it within the framework of racism, I place it within the framework of prejudice and discrimination. It's based on the interaction of racial stereotypes with gender stereotypes. This interaction is not unique to black women but it takes on a different form.