Blog Post | January 20th, 2025
Audre Lorde: The Writer, Activist, Philosopher and Poet.
By Nicholas O'Connor
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PHOTO: SS The Poetry Foundation
A revolutionary poet, essayist, and activist whose words continue to ring out to queer people, women, and those fighting for justice all around the world was Audre Lorde. She was born on February 18, 1934, in Harlem, New York, to West Indian parents, self-identifying as a "black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet." She used that self-description as an identity, but more profoundly, as a rallying cry to the interconnected struggles of race, gender, sexual orientation, and class.
PHOTO: SS Oprah Daily
A Literary Force
Lorde's poetry was unflinching, personal. Works such as Coal (1976) and The Black Unicorn (1978) explored the nuances of Black identity, sexuality, and resistance. Her prose, especially in the groundbreaking Sister Outsider (1984), lent a radical clarity to the intersections of oppression. Lorde's words didn't just document injustice; they called for action.
For queer readers, Lorde's openness about her lesbian identity in a time when such visibility was dangerous made her a pioneer. Her work created a space for queer people to see their struggles reflected and validated.
The Personal as Political
Lorde's activism was not separate from her writing. She frequently talked about the interconnections of systemic forces of oppression and, in fact gave birth to the very famous phrase "the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house." She said that in order to be liberated, one could not ignore or exclude differences—be they racial, sexual, or gendered—but rather embrace them as sources of strength.
Through her essays, Lorde reminded people of the use of anger, which was catalyzing change for Black women and queer individuals. She insisted that rather than being dismissed or feared, anger could be transformed into action and solidarity.
PHOTO: SS Publishing Triangle
A Legacy of Queer Empowerment
Audre Lorde's work is still very much impacting queer communities. She provided a blueprint for challenging systems of oppression while affirming the beauty and complexity of marginalized identities. In the 1970s and 80s, when LGBTQ+ representation was minimal, Lorde stood as a beacon of hope, proof that a queer Black woman's voice could challenge and change the status quo.
Today, her work is taught in classrooms, quoted in protests, and revered in queer spaces. Organizations like The Audre Lorde Project carry her name and mission forward in community organizing for LGBTQ+ people of color.
Lorde suggests that thriving queer people live, unapologetically, their entire self and collectively against a more comprehensive world. Let it inspire generations and generations of writers and activists for a future to imagine when it is the celebrating differences, rather than suppression of them.
In Lorde's own words: "When we speak, we are afraid our words will not be heard nor welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak." And so, with her life was a testament of the power to speak, with her legacy will ensure that no queer voice will go unheard again.
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