Remapping the Margins: The Necessity for an Intersectional Approach in Investigating Black Lesbians in the American South

The purpose of this paper is to utilize an intersectional approach to determine what external factors (social, political, and economic) contribute to the health disparities among black lesbians in the American South. Black lesbians become sub-populations whose health is poorer than other populations of black women because they suffer additional stigmatizations. This research will complete the following: a) expose how health disparities of black lesbians may be a result of social, political, and economic experiences; b) adopt an intersectional approach to gain a deeper understanding of how power relations and hierarchal structures can influence an individual’s health status; c) explore connections between macro and micro levels to decipher how it manifests in an individual’s daily life; d) decipher how self-identity impacts an individual’s health status; and e) determine whether or not black lesbians are more vulnerable to health disparities as a result of their status as black women, lesbians, or both. Ultimately, this research introduces a theory that encompasses these factors and its influence on the health status of black lesbians in the American South. This theory will adopt a scientific phenomenon to describe how heterosexism plays an essential role in the ultimate health status of black lesbians in this region