By Sister Catherine Minhoto
I have always been a person who tries to make connections, who tries to see the interconnectedness of things. Perhaps that is a reason I like the “new” cosmology that affirms this reality in our universe from fractals to climate change – all is interdependent.
Participating in several online sessions of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women 70 confirmed this concept for me and added a new corelative –intersectionality. Intersectionality is defined as “a framework for understanding how overlapping social identities—such as race, gender, class, and sexuality—intersect to create unique combinations of privilege and systemic oppression.” I would more simply define intersectionality as interconnectedness with an edge!
Writing this reflection as we journey as people of faith to Calvary and the empty tomb reminded me that the cross is about Jesus’ radical way of being human – it is both horizontal and vertical. It is our God intersecting with humanity in the radical giving of the divine into human experience. The cross confirms that love of God and love of neighbor are inseparably intertwined, and that as authentic disciples we are called to work horizontally in our world for justice and peace, for reciprocity and mutuality, for solidarity and communion.
Where did I see this intersectionality during the various CSW sessions? Intersectionality was implied during a conversation with women pediatricians who described how the US blockade of Cuba impacts the health of its citizens, especially children. Vaccines for newborns and children are scarce. There are fuel and energy shortages. Limited health services and medical supplies are affecting cancer and dialysis patients. As one of the doctors stated: “This is a genocidal siege. The blockade is violating families’ rights.” In an act of global solidarity and interconnectedness and in response to the island’s deepening economic and energy crises, the Cuban people are receiving assistance from Mexico, Brazil, and China. Yet, the Cuban people are resilient – in the face of such brutality, they are finding new ways to provide for their citizens by shifting to renewal energy sources (solar panels), by engaging in urban gardening and local food security, and by collective sharing of resources during blackouts.
I would like to share some information I received from a session related to Palestinian women and the ongoing war and devastation in Gaza. Women are at the heart of Palestinian life. 1.9 million people have been displaced, have sought security in refugee camps – a reality that severely impacts families. As the primary caregivers in families, women bear the daily responsibility of providing for their children’s needs and caring for infirm and elderly family members. Pregnant women face severe risks, including miscarriages and premature births due to stress and malnutrition. Reports exist of C-sections being performed without anesthesia. There is a critical shortage of hygiene products, with women lacking access to private toilets or washing facilities. Overcrowded shelters and lack of security increase the risk of sexual harassment and violence. Women are disproportionately affected by hunger, with many skipping meals to feed their children. Women in Gaza have no time to grieve their many losses because they are the ones who must ensure the survival of the lives of their loved ones. Yet, these Palestinian women, like the people of Cuba, are strong and resilient in the face of such injustice – they tell their stories with courage and hope in the midst of intergenerational trauma and utter chaos.
My life intersected with the lives of these women. I am moved by their faith, their unshakeable commitment to their countries, to their local communities, to their families. I am inspired and challenged by their conviction that together, as artisans of care, we women can shape a more just world of solidarity inclusion and compassion.
Photo: Sister Veronica Brand
