In addition to the traditional identity groups based on race, religion, ethnicity, or nationality, in the late 20th century, new identity groups formed based on experiences of being marginalized for any number of reasons including gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, age, skin tone, body type, and immigration status. These groups have raised our consciousness and increased our sensitivity to an array of harms that occur throughout our society regularly including sexual victimization, discrimination against women, colorism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, ageism, heightism, and xenophobia.
In recent decades there has also been increasing awareness that belonging to two or more marginalized groups, sometimes referred to as intersectionality, can result in disadvantages that are compounded and intensified. For example, being a black female requires dealing with the obstacles of racial and gender discrimination but the intersection of those two identities brings unique problems like not being taken seriously when interfacing with health care professionals, or despite having a higher risk of experiencing intimate partner violence than white women, having a harder time getting protective intervention.
Several Naturalistic Support techniques can facilitate productive dialogs around issues of marginalization and discrimination. To illustrate how, consider exclusionary behaviors and how they can be responded to effectively.