The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
"Racism, sexism, and homophobia are inseparable [in the United States]"--The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House (1979) by Audre Lorde |
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The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House (1979) is a text by Audre Lorde included in Sister Outsider.
The text consists of a speech given at "The Personal and the Political Panel" at the Second Sex Conference on September 29, 1979 in New York, with added comments.
The text deals with exclusion, absence, invisibility, silence, and tokenism within feminist theory discrediting feminism. It calls for a transformation of the use of power and difference between women.
In it, she addresses the importance of intersectionality in feminism. She argues that the exclusion of other stories that intersect with race, class, and gender, will continue to oppress and silence, especially when instances of violence occur. Lorde suggests that the "Master's tools", which refers to the systemic oppression of colored people and white supremacy in America, has been created for the benefit of white people. Lorde suggests that this is one of the main reasons for the need of intersectionality in feminist theory.
In an example, she describes how white women cannot understand the full implications of racism that black women experience. She asks, "What is the theory behind racist feminism?" Lorde argues for the importance of Black women to have the space necessary for them to participate in a feminist movement that does not further marginalize them. To simply ignore this issue would be to perpetuate racist social ideologies that have been ingrained into American society.
Intersectionality
In "The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House", Lorde addresses the importance of intersectionality in feminism. She argues that the exclusion of other stories that intersect with race, class, and gender, will continue to oppress and silence, especially when instances of violence occur. Lorde suggests that the "Master's tools", which refers to the systemic oppression of colored people and white supremacy in America, has been created for the benefit of white people. Lorde suggests that this is one of the main reasons for the need of intersectionality in feminist theory.
In an example, she describes how white women cannot understand the full implications of racism that black women experience. She asks, "What is the theory behind racist feminism?" Lorde argues for the importance of Black women to have the space necessary for them to participate in a feminist movement that does not further marginalize them. To simply ignore this issue would be to perpetuate racist social ideologies that have been ingrained into American society.