In 1954, Lorde spent a year studying in Mexico, then attended Hunter College and graduated in 1959. When Audrey was twelve, she changed her name to Audre to mirror the “e”-ending of her last name. At age four, she learned to read and write, and started describing her feelings in poetry. Audre described early memories of being shamed for her dark skin and being visually impaired, creating a sense that there was something wrong with her. Lorde’s philosophical reasoning that recognizes oppressions as complex and interlocking designates her work as a significant contribution to critical social theory.Īudre Lorde was born as Audrey Lorde in New York City on February 18, 1934, to Caribbean parents of mixed ancestry. The essays in this landmark collection are extensively taught and have become a widespread area of academic analysis.

With meditative conscious reasoning, Lorde explores her misgivings for the widespread marginalization deeply-rooted in the United States’ white patriarchal system, all the while, offering messages of hope. The book examines a broad range of topics, including love, self-love, war, imperialism, police brutality, coalition building, violence against women, Black feminism, and movements towards equality that recognize and embrace differences as a vehicle for change.

In fifteen essays and speeches dating from 1976 to 1984, Lorde explores the complexities of intersectional identity, while explicitly drawing from her personal experiences of oppression to include: sexism, heterosexism, racism, homophobia, classism, and ageism. This collection of Lorde’s most influential works of non-fiction prose had a groundbreaking impact in the development of contemporary feminist theories. Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches is a collection of essays and speeches written by Audre Lorde and published in 1984.

The sister outsider