Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde

3 reviews

rieviolet's review against another edition

challenging informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

Like any kind of collection, there are always some parts that you like better than other ones but, overall, there is an awful lot to appreciate here and many interesting, challenging and complex reflections to ponder over.

There were a couple of chapters that I didn't much care about and, in places, were also a bit of a struggle to get through (for example "Notes from a Trip to Russia"; "An Interview: Audre Lorde and Adrienne Rich", which was way too long, too much focused on their personal relationship, and also I do not like Adrienne Rich).

I have to admit that some sections were a bit difficult to understand, but that has more to do with me lacking in similar personal experiences and knowledge, than to any fault of the author. 

A lot of what Audre Lorde reflected on and wrote about back then still resonates deeply today. I think it will be worth it to read more from the author and then revisit these essays.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, and Sexism

Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, Lesbophobia, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Death of parent

robinks's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

What a powerful introduction to Audre Lorde’s words. I read so many lines over and over to let them sink in. There were such meaningful, clear anecdotes and heavy research to support Lorde’s points. This is definitely a collection I will come back to time and time again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, and Colonisation

Moderate: Homophobia, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Bullying, Cancer, Genocide, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, and Police brutality

nytephoenyx's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

I think this collection is better rated on an essay-by-essay basis. The danger in putter them all together and trying to rate it as a lump sum is that some are better than others and there is repetition in some of the examples that takes away from the overall allure of individual essays.

I liked and appreciated Sister Outsider, don't get me wrong. But for myself as a reader, I think it would have been more impactful with each essay as a standalone. I get caught up in technical details and that takes away from the overall message, which is an important one. And definitely a message that should not be clouded by truly unimportant technical things.

Audre Lorde is an idol to so many for a good reason - she unapologetically speaks the truth and raises her peers, sisters, friends, and community. The conversations in these essays about inter-sectionalism, toxic masculinity, raising children, her sexual identity are all so important. Doubly se when we remember that these essays were largely written decades ago, and the gave a voice to so many people who found themselves trampled and powerless.

The importance of these essays - beyond the technicals of the collection and the unfortunate fact of some of Lorde's personal behavior in romantic relationship - is why this is a four star review. These messages are important. And they are worth hearing, despite the flaws of the collection or the author. They are so important.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Sexism

Minor: Bullying