Who is She?

Audre Lorde was a poet, and civil rights activist.

What did She do?

Although she didn't coin the term, Audre Lorde was one of the first people to speak of intersectionality, the idea that a single person can belong to more than one in-group. She proudly proclaimed that she was a “Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet” and that all those identities could exist within the same body. Tired of not being able to speak of her “Blackness” among lesbians or of her queerness around her fellow Black poets, Lorde made it her mission to urge those around her to see differences as strengths and to embrace the “otherness” in each of us.

Why does She matter?

Audre Lorde gave voice to an issue that still divides us today. As different groups of people are asserting their right to be their true selves, it is important to recognize that each person actually belongs in several boxes, not just one. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for Gay Rights, Women's Rights or Civil Rights. All aspects of personhood need to be considered.