The Potrayal of Racial And Gender Discrimination By The Characters In The Novel “Girl, Women, Other” By Bernardine Evaristo

This study aims to analyze the forms of racial and gender discrimination experienced by black female characters in Bernardine Evaristos novel Girl, Woman, Other. The novel features twelve female and non-binary characters living in modern British society, and depicts the complexity of identity and the various forms of social oppression they face. The approach used in this study is the Intersectionality theory developed by Patricia Hill Collins and Sirma Bilge (2016). This theory is used to see how race, gender, social class, and sexual orientation intersect in shaping experiences of discrimination. The method used in this study is a descriptive qualitative method with content analysis techniques. Data were obtained from narrative excerpts in the novel that show the discriminatory experiences of the characters. The results of the study show that discrimination is not experienced singly, but overlaps and creates a profound impact on the identities, psychology, and social lives of the characters. For example, the character Carole experiences self-rejection a result of sexual violence and racism, while Megan/Morgan faces pressure from gender norms from an early age. The conclusion of this study is that Girl, Woman, Other represents the social realities of black women through the lens of intersectionality. This study emphasizes the importance of understanding discrimination a multi-layered experience that cannot be separated from the broader social context.