Sister Outsider

Silence
By Jessica Langone

Learning Objectives
1. Understand what being silent means for Lorde and why it
is scary, as well as understanding the benefits
afforded to those who break their silence

2. Connect the idea of being silent with intersectionality,

bridging differences, and how it applies to other texts

Why I Chose these objectives

I think that every text we have read so far, including the
essays from Sister Outsider, have shown the damage that
comes from when Women of Color remain silent, why they have
remained silent, and the power that came to them through
speaking out and writing. I think we can make a lot of
connections to the oppression of women with the act of
silencing, whether it is the women silencing themselves out
of fear or others silencing them.

Textual Evidence:
The Transformation of Silence into language and Action
I had made contact with other women while we examined
the words to fit a world in which we all believed,
bridging our differences. And it was the concern and
caring of all those women which gave me strength and
enabled me to scrutinize the essentials of my living
(Lorde 41).

What it means & Why its important

Here Lorde was given power by speaking with other women,
showing that by breaking from her silence she was empowered.
By breaking the silence, she was able to bridge their
differences. This is important because from our readings so
far we understand that sometimes being silenced or not
wanting to speak comes from the influence of other women.
Here Lorde shows us that bridging the difference between her
and these other women helped her to get better.
I think this is also shown in the interview with Audre Lorde
and Adrienne Rich, how their conversation can be read almost
like a dance, where they are each supporting, giving, and
taking within the context of their knowledge and power as

Textual Evidence: Age, Race, Class, and Sex

Today, with the defeat of ERA, the tightening economy, and
increased conservatism, it is easier once again for white
women to believe the dangerous fantasy that if you are good
enough, pretty enough, sweet enough, quiet enough, teach the
children to behave, hate the right people, and marry the
right men, then you will be allowed to coexist with
patriarchy in relative peace, at least until a man needs
your job or the neighborhood rapist happens along. And true,
unless one lives and loves in the trenches it is difficult
to remember that the war against dehumanization is
ceaseless (Lorde 119).

What it Means & Why its important

This quote from the essay Age, Race, Class, and Sex really
stood out to me because it reminded me of my Aunt Tina. She
is a successful woman but it seems like she hates other
women, and I feel it is because she believes in this
dangerous fantasy, which I relate to being silenced, or
silencing oneself out of trying to protect oneself. I think
this goes hand in hand with Lordes idea of it being scary
to speak out and break the silence.

Textual evidence: Scratching the Surface

In the interests of separation, Black women have been
taught to view each other as always suspect, heartless
competitors for the scarce male, the all-important prize
that could legitimize our existence. This dehumanizing
denial of self is no less lethal than the dehumanization of
racism to which it is so closely allied (Lorde 50).

What it means & Why its important

This quote resonates with the same sort of silencing
oppression that is expressed in the quote from Age, Race,
Class, and Sex, and shows that damage being silent does to
women who could otherwise be sticking together, learning
from each other, and being powerful together with their
language and action.
This quote also reiterates the point that Lorde makes about
silencing oneself, and how detrimental that is.

Activity:
On the next slide there is a video from a Sister Outsider
Poetry reading, the poem is called Home.
After watching the video, there are two prompts for a
discussion posting to further the conversation about
silence, the dangers of it, and connecting it to multiple
texts and other ideas presented by Lorde.

WATCH:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=3p3Age9iy-M

Think about what they are

saying in terms of home,
silence, women, and
bridges (or bridging).
Note the concepts that
relate to Lordes essays.

Prompt 1
Use the video from the Sister Outsider Poetry piece Home
to connect to the theme of silence in the texts. Think about
what they are saying about where they grew up in terms of
intersectionality and womanism, using the idea of turning
silence into language and action. What other texts does the
poem relate too?

Prompt 2
You may also comment on the idea of the living room becoming
a bridge in terms of the bridge mentioned in Poetry is not
a luxury:
Poetry is not only dream and vision; it is the skeleton
architecture of our lives. It lays the foundations for a
future of change, a bridge across our fears of what has
never been before (Lorde 38).
How does this idea and the idea from the video relate back
to the theme of silence?

Before we go
Sidenote: If you have an orange county library card or a
hoopla account, the audiobook for Sister Outsider is
available to be rented.
I know this is kind of late, but I was thinking that maybe
if you wanted to read the rest of the essays, but you didnt
have time to sit down and read them. Or if you wanted to reread any of them.