Lorde's been on my mind as of late, I guess because I'm always thinking about the old master's tools/master's house dilemma (if you don't know, check her essay, "The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House” in Sister/Outsider). I can't help but wonder WWAS (What Would Audre Say)? so often when I am faced with modern day conundrums of politics, identity, power etc.
She was such an extraordinary human being, such an incredible thinker--one of the brave ones who spoke truth to power, who addressed the racial divides within feminism, who insisted that sexual orientation be part of the feminist conversation. Among other things, she was also an amazing educator--teaching at my own old stomping grounds, Hunter College.
We thank you Audre, now gone for over 16 years, for your legacy of truth-telling and, in particular, your profound exploration of power. I leave you all with Audre in her own words:
Love is word, another kind of open.
As the diamond comes into a knot of flame
I am Black because I come from the earth's inside
Now take my word for jewel in the open light.
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Thank YOU for posting this!
Zami was my favorite book that I read in my senior year of college, and it's still on my top-10 list. I continue to be amazed by all of her other writing. She's not just one of my feminist heroes, but she also challenged me on a literary level, making me think about epistemology, genre, and life writing.
If it's not totally out of place, while we're thanking people on Thank You Thursday, I'd like to thank Thom Hartmann and the Thom Hartmann Program for having feminist authors on this week -- including Jessica yesterday and Charles Derver (co-author of The New Feminized Majority) today.
There is not doubt that she was an extraordinary woman and much can still be learned today from heeding her words.
I LOVE audre lorde. Here are my favorite quotes from her:
"[Speaking] is never without fear; of visibility, of the harsh light of scrutiny and perhaps judgment, of pain, of death. But we have lived through all of those already, in silence, except death. And I remind myself all the time now, that if I were to have been born mute, and had maintained an oath of silence my whole life for safety, I would still have suffered, and I would still die."
"What is there possibly left for us to be afraid of, after we have dealt face to face with death and not embraced it? Once I accept the existence of dying as a life process, who can ever have power over me again?"
I think of these words of hers everytime i'm harrassed on the street and I have to decide if i'm going to talk back or suck it up and take it.
I have not read much by Audre Lorde, but I want to. What is a good starting book?
I love Audre...it was recommended to me by a coworker last year and I've done probably 80% of my papers on her since then. She was such a strong person...and she did not let any one label define her she was everything. Audre Lorde is definitely an inspiration.
For hopeisawakingdream...
I would start with Zami (it changed my life) and read simultaneously a book of her poems like Coal.
Thanks for posting this. As someone who's discovering feminism, I'm still just trying to navigate my way through the long list of major players. I've seen the name Audre Lorde tossed around and filed her away as someone to check out. I've also heard the phrase "The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House” a few times and always thought it was awesome, and now I know where it came from.
I just read some excerpts from Sister/Outsider online and this quote really struck me:
"Some problems we share as women, some we do not. You fear your children will grow up to join the patriarchy and testify against you, we fear our children will be dragged from a car and shot down in the street, and you will turn your backs upon the reasons they are dying…”
One question: how do you pronounce her last name? Is it "Lord," "Lordy," "Lorday," or something else?
Audre Lorde's essays and poetry are unfailing in their ability to move and revive me.
One of my favorite quotes by her right now:
"And yes, there is a hierarchy. There is a difference between painting a back fence and writing a poem, but only one of quantity. And there is, for me, no difference between writing a good poem and moving into sunlight against the body of a woman I love."
Can I get a pronunciation? Anybody? Please?