One topic I found interesting during this week was from our class discussion on the reading Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference by Andre Lorde. In the article, the author talks about how differences between genders and race are causing distortions and dehumanizing between groups, particularly for women of color. I find this very intriguing because we’re reading this from the perspective of someone who’s deeply affected on oppression and separation, and representing a whole community against other groups. It also states how we grow up letting these definitions and labels influence us, and not thinking about the negatives until it becomes apparent. Lorde mentions that if we don’t pass on what we know and ignore the differences, “the younger members of a community view the older members as contemptible or suspect or excess, they will never be able to join hands… nor ask the all-important question, “Why?” (117). I find this to be true because it does feels like we’re taught to be accepted, you have to fit in or to feel above others. The thought of being raised to behave and love/hate certain people without question is starting to become reality as we’re diversifying more than ever. This part about growing up educated in diversity stood out to me because it wasn’t until attending university that I learn more in depth about race, gender and sexism. If we were to educate early and differently, would our environments be better and equal? Would this eliminate oppression, differences and sexism if it were taught at a young age?

Overall, I thought this reading was very insightful, as it gave us a smaller picture in a bigger problem. I usually see this struggle in oppression and equality between white people and others of color, but I now realize that there are also differences within groups that need solving as well. In the article, Lorde says “Our future survival is predicated upon our ability to relate within equality… we must recognize differences among women who are our equals, neither inferior nor superior, and devise ways to use each other’s difference to enrich our visions and our joint struggles” (122). From what the article shows us, in order to put aside our differences and join, we fist must acknowledge them and abandon old definitions that won’t serve anything but cause separation.

Works cited

Lorde, Andre. “Reading Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference.” Sister Outsider, 1984. Pg 114-123