Intersectionality is probably one of the most complex concepts in sociology. Indeed, it can always be examined at increasing levels, with each person's individual story adding to the collective. In a subject that tends to examine the macro level, intersectionality mandates at least some examination of the micro. Because intersectionality affects each individual in different ways, it amplifies the concept of difference between people of different identities. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Often there are calls for everyone to become one, for example, instead of saying I'm black, I would just say I'm American. . This reduction of an individual to a monoculture is one of the most pervasive forms of erasure (Siebers). By asking people to redefine themselves according to the overall dominant culture, their own individual narratives are ignored and just as devalued. The “refusal to recognize differences” only further divides us as a society (Lorde). However, the other side of this problem is that often when differences are recognized, they are recognized individually, creating a reductionist one-dimensional view of an individual. In fact, “reducing people to a single dimension of who they are marks them as other” (Johnson). So, to connect these two dots as a society, we must recognize the differences; however, we cannot attempt to pinpoint any particular difference on which to base everything. It is necessary to understand the intersections of each person’s identities. Recognizing intersectionality is important not only so that society can better understand the narrative of an individual and group, but also so that the individual has a better sense of their place in society. “Intersectionality allows people to exist in states of both privilege and oppression,” that is, forcing the individual to understand both sides of society (Johnson). As a woman I experience oppression, as a person of color I experience oppression, but as a heterosexual I experience privilege. By fully accepting the intersectionality of my identities, I am able to create a better sense of myself personally and better understand the complexity of social systems. I am able to recognize in myself and draw the attention of others to how “multiple identities – including race, gender and class – limit the rights and status that individuals receive” (Steinbugler). In doing so, people are forced to see how differences interact with each other and how they can help create a more inclusive society. Everyone's end goal is, or at least should be, greater equality and recognizing intersections furthers this process. As a society, we often view things as black or white, male or female, gay or straight; however, “by examining identity as fields of intersection, we can imagine possibilities other than binary” (Sengupta). Although binaries may seem easier to address, they often give way to identity politics, with individuals having to choose what matters most and therefore once again resulting in erasure. When operating in a binary manner, it is very easy for "one analysis to deny the validity of another", meaning that in a white woman's struggle for equality with white men, she is thereby excluding inadvertently women of color who also fight to overthrow the patriarchy (Sengupta)..