Audre Lorde

“I write for those women who do not speak, for those who do not have a voice because they were so terrified, because we were taught to respect fear more than ourselves. We’ve taught that silence would save us, but it won’t.”

These words were spoken by Audre Lorde, self-described “black, lesbian, mother, warrior, and poet” who was one of the first people to criticise the second-wave feminist movement and call it out for advocating the rights of only heterosexual, white women. She noticed that the movement did very little for women from minorities, and she urged them to address issues such as racism, homophobia, ableism, and classism.

Lorde’s writing about her struggles with homophobia, racism, and sexism were often described as ‘angry’ – a word which usually has negative connotation. But rather than being discouraged, Lorde embraced this ‘anger’, and encouraged other women to acknowledge their emotions and translate them into actions by being vocal about their struggles.

In a collection of her essays and poems, Lorde wrote, “It was hard enough to be black, to be black and female, to be black, female, and gay. To be black, female, gay, and out of the closet in a white environment.” She spoke about why it is so important to acknowledge the fact that feminism must be intersectional; the feminist movement cannot be separate from other forms of oppression. To close the gap between genders, we must close the gaps between diverse women.

‘Feminism’ means equality for all women and men – not just the privileged ones. As someone who grappled with many aspects of her identity – her gender, race, class, and sexuality – Lorde viewed the differences between us as strengths rather than weaknesses, and she believed in the upliftment of women from all walks of life.

“I am not free whilst any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are different to my own”. Audre Lorde helped countless women break free from the shackles of patriarchy, and her views hold importance even in today’s world.