Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches

Reflect on the name of the book, Sister Outsider, and the marginal identities that Lorde herself holds. Why did Lorde title the collection this way?

Based on the writing in Sister Outsider, explain Lorde’s contribution to the theory of intersectional feminism.

Lorde emphasizes the unique position of Black women in the struggle against oppression. How does Sister Outsider convey this unique position, and why are Black women’s voices necessary in the fight against oppression?

Lorde’s belief that the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house is prominent throughout Sister Outsider. What are the tools and strategies she proposes to more effectively dismantle oppressive structures?

Discuss the ways that Lorde addresses the pitfalls of capitalism and how it interacts with anti-Black racism.

Who is the Black mother, and what role does she play in the struggle against oppression?

Lorde tells Adrienne Rich that “[w]hen a people share a common oppression,” they forge “certain kinds of skills and joint defenses,” and “[w]hen you come into conflict over other existing differences, there is a vulnerability to each other which is very desperate and very deep” (99). Discuss where in Sister Outsider Lorde provides evidence of these common oppressions and vulnerabilities and how they are dealt with in oppressed communities.

Lorde believes in integrating all parts of herself into her work and creative effort towards liberation. How does she demonstrate her commitment to showing up as her whole self, and how does this self-acceptance enrich her life and her work?