Audre Lorde’s Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference was a very interesting and informative read.  In her text, she talked about the inferiority of women alongside racism, further explaining how black women in particular are even more oppressed due to them experiencing both racism and sexism.  On page 117, she states, “This is a very complex question, but I believe one of the reasons white women have such difficulty reading Black women’s work is because of their reluctance to see Black women as women and different from themselves.”  This is a very strong statement, but I believe Lorde is stating that societal stereotypes prevent white women from seeing black women’s works the same way they might see someone who is white. However, I feel as though her lack of explanation of many of these very complex and strong statements leave me rather confused and interested in the reasoning behind them, such as when she later on in the text discussed how black lesbians are not necessarily seen as black to other black women.  On page 121, she states, “Heterosexual Black women often tend to ignore or discount the existence and work of Black lesbians.” I am intrigued by this statement, as I never knew of this. However, although the focus of the piece seemed to be mostly on colored women in America, it only further goes to show the inequality LGBTQ+ people also experience.

There were also aspects to this text that left me emotional and shocked, such as when Lorde states, “In certain parts of Africa, small girls are still being sewed shut between their legs to keep them docile and for men’s pleasure” (page 120).  I find this absolutely horrifying and disgusting. Women are still treated like objects in many countries today and are even tested that they’re “virgins” before they are married. Additionally, when she stated that women of Color are the lowest paid wage earners in America, I became deeply disturbed with society’s racism and sexism against these innocent individuals who cannot change the way they were born.  Her writing is emotionally evoking and allows readers to truly understand the severity of the situation these individuals are facing and how, even though times are a lot better than the early 1900s, women (especially of color) are still not equal.

Lorde, Audre.  Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference.  Received from