step2yagirlbookclub discussion

Questions/Thoughts to be discussed:

Some questions to consider:

What is Audre's connection to Carriacou? How does the legend of Carriacou play into major themes of the book?

Discuss how the labelling of the text as a biomythography impacts its content and reception.

"Non-conventional people can be dangerous, even in the gay community." (Chapter 29) Discuss Lorde's subversion of contemporary lesbian norms in the text, interactions with the intersectional, and examples of this excerpt visible in present-day culture, regarding the homonormative.

How does Lorde redefine lesbianism beyond sexuality in the text: "All black women are lesbians, even though many of them would be horrified to even say the word." Reference from Jyl Lynn Felman (2002) : 'women-centered site of inspiration, support, and utter survival...'

Some of my thoughts:

- I thought it was interesting that her mother hit her for not understanding racism and how the world works - especially during the school elections and that she never really explained it to Audre. Making the topic of race almost taboo in the house, is this because her mother is angry at how people treated her daughter or because she was frustrated she couldn't control it? Also interesting to look at the evolution of parenting, especially in a context where today black parents have to teach their children how to act when speaking to a police officer etc. it has become a mode of survival.

- A line that really stood out to me was when Audre recalls her nose bleed stains and says 'at least a sign of something living' - I thought it really spoke to her belief in life's precariousness and the constant battle between tragedy and survival.

- While I did not like her mother as a character for several reasons I think her mother paints an image of strong black women and showed the battle between the individual and the collective. Her mother consistently provided for her family, she survived out of her collective responsibility as a mother and more importantly, in the face of oppression as a black woman. For Audre, surviving wasn't enough and we see the tension between Audres individual desires, for privacy, love etc and her mothers focus on the collective.

- The importance of journey and travel: while we saw the changes in Audres life occur based on where she lives etc. I think the physical journeys were metaphors or symbols of the internal growth - "The first time I ever slept anywhere else besides in my
parents' bedroom was a milestone in my journey to this house of myself" and maybe the trips or journeys were in fact journeys into her own subjectivity?