If I identify as a Black woman, consider myself Christian according to Black-American terminology, have a cross-cultural heritage, come from a well-to-do economic background, and identify as heterosexual (not to mention my social and personal identities as well as my geographic context)—what box do I fit into?

From a sociological perspective, I embody all of these labels. However, sociology would also argue that as a woman, I cannot be considered a black woman; I am just performing the construct of being a woman. Yet, for me, these labels are intersected within society.

If I cannot tangibly shed my identities when I navigate different contexts, aren’t all my identities contained within one box, even if one is more prominently highlighted? This type of sociologically oriented discourse needs to be challenged in favor of a more holistic understanding of identity development. A shift in focus could not only help deconstruct social labeling but also pave the way for social justice reform