Sociological Memo 2 on Week 4: Master's tools- Audre Lorde
(Summary) According to Audre Lorde's argument in "The Master's Tools Will
Never Dismantle the Master's House," the feminist movement needs to be intersectional
and take into account the experiences of women of color and other disadvantaged groups.
She criticizes the mainstream feminist movement for disregarding the ways in which
gender oppression is shaped by the intersections of race, class, and other social identities.
According to Lorde, feminists must pay attention to and elevate the views of those who
have historically been marginalized if they want to build a movement that is really
inclusive.
(Analysis) A powerful indictment of the feminist movement and its failure to be
intersectional can be found in Lorde's essay. Lorde highlights the significance of taking
an intersectional approach to feminism by exposing the ways in which race, class, and
other social identities interact with gender to produce particular types of oppression. This
is a critical topic because it explains why some women are disadvantaged more than
others and why feminism cannot be applied universally.
(Sociological Memo Example) In "The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the
Master's House," Audre Lorde criticizes the feminist movement for failing to be
intersectional. Since I have witnessed personally how the feminist movement can be
exclusive of women of color and other marginalized groups, this criticism resonates with
my personal experiences. Lorde's assertion that feminists must pay attention to and
prioritize the views of those who have historically been marginalized is essential because
it highlights the need to build a movement that is truly inclusive and caters to the interests
of all women.
