Figuring out how to participate in the system: Using reflexive feminist autoethnography to explore intersectional experiences in the professional and political spheres of academia

Abstract

The practice of critically reflexive feminist autoethnographyor connecting one's personal experiences and beliefs to professional and political processes-can be a challenging and often invisible process. Nonetheless, it is a method worthy of engagement, given the impact one's positionality often has on one's scholarship. In this article, I reflect on how I understand myself as an intersectional Black, bisexual woman. Furthermore, I discuss the ways in which the personal relates to my professional and political academic life. In making broader connections to larger societal forces, I discuss how I came to study diverse individuals and families with intersecting identities and outline my struggles with my own academic growth and scholastic improvement. I also unpack the uncertainties I have faced in attempting to find my place in academia. Finally, for other intersectional scholars, I offer some suggestions for self-reflection on research and practice within the academy.