marlenarw's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Painful, poignant and necessary.
The number one book I reccommend to anyone looking for a deeper understanding or an introduction to feminism (intersectional).
The number one book I reccommend to anyone looking for a deeper understanding or an introduction to feminism (intersectional).
nata_lee's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
4.25
friendofhayley's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This book hit me hard, just like I knew it would. It's amazing how far we've come while also having so much more to go. All the writers were so brave, and it was tough to read voices like mine with prose that punched me in the gut. Definitely a reread and permanent spot on my bookshelf.
a_briggs's review against another edition
4.0
As I made my way through this book, I found myself captivated by it. From the very start, the lengthy introduction challenged me, and I couldn't help but resonate with the sentiment expressed in Kate Rushin's poem, "The Bridge Poem."
The collection encompasses various poems, each evoking a different emotion and shedding light on unique perspectives. As I journeyed through the pages, I found myself drawn to pieces that explored the complexities of colorism and the experiences of light-skinned women. These poems challenged my preconceptions and prompted me to reflect on my own positionality as a light-skinned Black woman.
Beyond the poems, the essays offered valuable insights into the intersections of race, class, and feminism. They exposed the privileges that white middle-class women often possess, shielding them from the oppressions faced by Black women. It was eye-opening to see the disparities and divisions within society, as well as the challenges faced by Black women in navigating their identities.
As I delved deeper into the book, I found myself contemplating the act of writing itself. The authors' reflections on writing as a means of survival and self-discovery resonated deeply with me. It reminded me of the power of writing to create and transform, to challenge complacency and foster personal growth.
Overall, "The Bridge Called My Back" is a collection that invites readers to reflect, question, and explore the intricacies of their own identities. It serves as a road map for those seeking to navigate the complexities of womanhood, race, and intersectionality. While it may take time to fully absorb its contents, the journey is worthwhile.
The collection encompasses various poems, each evoking a different emotion and shedding light on unique perspectives. As I journeyed through the pages, I found myself drawn to pieces that explored the complexities of colorism and the experiences of light-skinned women. These poems challenged my preconceptions and prompted me to reflect on my own positionality as a light-skinned Black woman.
Beyond the poems, the essays offered valuable insights into the intersections of race, class, and feminism. They exposed the privileges that white middle-class women often possess, shielding them from the oppressions faced by Black women. It was eye-opening to see the disparities and divisions within society, as well as the challenges faced by Black women in navigating their identities.
As I delved deeper into the book, I found myself contemplating the act of writing itself. The authors' reflections on writing as a means of survival and self-discovery resonated deeply with me. It reminded me of the power of writing to create and transform, to challenge complacency and foster personal growth.
Overall, "The Bridge Called My Back" is a collection that invites readers to reflect, question, and explore the intricacies of their own identities. It serves as a road map for those seeking to navigate the complexities of womanhood, race, and intersectionality. While it may take time to fully absorb its contents, the journey is worthwhile.
tombomp's review against another edition
5.0
For some reason I went into this thinking it was some sort of feminist manifesto, but it's an anthology of experiences of women of color, told through essays, poetry, biography and only sometimes political manifesto. It focuses particularly on experiences in feminism and those interpreted through feminist ideas but the focus is by no means exclusive. It has some limitations within its remit such as those mentioned in the introduction - eg limited to the US, almost exclusively talks about lesbian sexuality - but does an excellent job of covering a broad spectrum of experiences and voices. A lot of the writing is only a few pages so a lot of people and a lot of different perspectives get covered - even though I disagree with some of the politics etc it's inevitable and interesting and important to see it talked about. Reading about experiences from nearly 35 years ago and their hopes for change is inspiring and sometimes sad. Ultimately I have trouble faulting it, as long as you go in realising it's an anthology of experiences, all of which are emotional and interesting.