This volume investigates the complex intersectionality of race and gender to determine how systemic racism uniquely impacts women across diverse social strata. The authors, Haleh Afshar and Mary Maynard, curate a collection of scholarly interventions that examine the structural barriers faced by women. By synthesizing sociological perspectives, the text argues that gender cannot be analyzed in isolation from racial identity, class, disability, and age, providing a framework for understanding the multifaceted nature of oppression.

Scholars and students of sociology frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding intersectional feminist theory. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous examination of social power dynamics.