Traditionally, the collection of profile data from individuals participating in research is taken for granted, and the techniques commonly used focus on survey-type formats. In this project, we introduce the metaphor of the basket of apples (Rodó-Zárate & Jorba 2020) as a way to gather profile data from an intersectional perspective through the creation of an avatar for each participant who fills up the Relief Maps tool. The metaphor of the basket of apples overcomes the two main issues that intersectionality metaphors present: the lack of differentiation between positions and effects and the problem of reification. Considering social positions as the diverse properties of different apples avoids reification by considering categories as properties and not as objects themselves, and at the same time it allows us to think about the effects dimension from a plural and contextual approach. This shift proposes a reframing of the discussion in debates on intersectionality theory on the relation among categories, their in/separability and fragmentation. Through this avatar, INTERMAPS presents a visual way to inquire and digitally visualize positions in relation to gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, social class, age, among other axes, maintaining the principle of mutual constitution between categories. Simultaneously, it allows a process of awareness and reflection on one's own positions of oppression and privilege among the participants.

Image 1. Example of an avatar.

Image 2. Example of an avatar.

Avatar legend

Image 3. Legend of the avatar in English. 

Image 4. Legend of the avatar in Catalan. 

Image 5. Legend of the avatar in Spanish.