Intersectional Feminism in Brit Bennett’s the Vanishing Half: Structural and Representational Dimensions

This study examines intersectional feminism in Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half by focusing on structural and representational intersectionality. Using Crenshaw’s intersectionality framework, the study applies directed qualitative content analysis to selected textual evidence concerning Stella Vignes, Desiree Vignes, and Jude Winston. The findings show that structural intersectionality is reflected in racialized access to employment, unequal labor relations, economic dependency, and gender-based violence. Representational intersectionality appears through colorism, beauty standards, expectations surrounding marriage, and cultural constructions of Black femininity. The experiences of the three characters demonstrate that race, gender, class, and skin color do not operate independently but interact in shaping material opportunities, vulnerability, and social value. Overall, the novel illustrates that inequality is produced through both social structures and cultural representations.