Intersectionality In Sister Outsider Audre Lorde - 1508 Words

â€Å"We are all equal in the fact that we are all different.† (C Joyce Bell). A teacher once told this to my class in 5th grade. I had to look up who said it, but the quote stuck with me. Now, as I reflect on the idea of intersectionality, my mind goes back to that teacher and her quote. Intersectionality is a concept that explains how various oppressions and privileges intermingle to shape our lives. It means that we all experience this world differently and like Bell said the ways we experience oppression and privilege from various different sources create our world and our differences. No one is exempt from privilege or power and in that right, we are all the same. In the book Sister Outsider Audre Lorde illustrates the concept of the†¦show more content†¦To this day she still works for our family cleaning the house once a week. And though we all view her as family it is important to be aware of our power in this situation and to ensure we are not exerting it in such a way that we cause oppression. Contrastingly my mother does not need to work due to my father being the boss of his own company. But it is also not necessarily her choice not to work. My sister Meghan has Cri Du Chat syndrome. Because of this my mother has had to take care of my sister and advocate for her rights constantly. As a young child Meghan was constantly sent home from school by teachers who claimed she was sick because it would be easier to not deal with her for that day. One day our school made her sit in a soiled diaper all day until our mother came to school to change it herself. Because of this it would not be practical for my mother to get a job. I am able bodied but because my sister is not my privilege as an able-bodied individual is often challenged. I have on occasion experienced the ways in which she is oppressed indirectly, for example when we went to the same elementary school sometimes kids would make fun of her at recess. I had the unique experience of either standing up for her and using m y privilege to help her, but in turn I would face being grouped in with her and facing the oppression she was facing, or I could do nothing andShow MoreRelatedFeminism : Waves Of Debates Within Feminism Essay1658 Words   |  7 Pageswomen, and more a gathering of movements concerned with a number of oppressive structures, working towards the eradication of domination period. Analysing the works of Mimi Mariuncci (2010), Audre Lorde (1984), and Rosemarie Garland-Thomson (2002) this paper will attempt to answer the question of why intersectionality is imperative to feminist discourse and Praxis, exploring the different areas in which the oppression of women interests with the oppression, marginalisation, and suppression of other minorityRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Sister Outsider 1709 Words   |  7 PagesHighly personal, Sister Outsider reflects how Audre Lorde’s deals with the many faces of systematic oppression, in order to become whole. Written throughout the lifespan of her life, what Audre Lorde has written was not just for herself but rather for other women who can and do relate to her and the struggles that she faced. Lorde bases a lot of her writings on who she is: a black woman, lesbian identified woman, a feminist, and mother of two; and what she had experienced throughout her life. SheRead MoreFilm Analysis Of Pantene Commercial1030 Words   |  5 Pagesbeen utilized by women (especially those of color and/or low income) throughout history to, â€Å"give name to the nameless so it can be thought...lay the foundations for a future of change, a bridge across our fears of what has never been done before†. (Lorde, p.38). Furthermore, I found through additional research that the scientists involved in creating the line are majorly black and female. As a proudly self-proclaimed afrocentric womanist, I can honestly say from the bottom of my heart that I’m hereRead MoreJudith Butler in Media Studies3516 Words   |  15 Pagesfigh t for progress and equality against prejudice. As a Jewish, lesbian in the 21st century, I have often found it difficult to define my identity. Considered an outsider, the groups society has categorized me in have inherently defined me. As I was reading Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference, I closely identified with Audre Lorde’s discussion of this â€Å"other† as it pertains to her race, sexuality and socio-economic status. She says, â€Å"it is the responsibility of the oppressed to teach