Audre Lorde, “There Is No Hierarchy of Oppressions” spoke about being a part of the black and lesbian community and being oppressed because those communities are seen as abnormal. She stated in her writing “Within the lesbian community I am Black, and within the Black community I am lesbian” which shows that direction she takes she faces obstacles of oppression. She mentions that there can be no hierarchy of oppression She has this concept of concurring all the oppression and having a society where being a woman, lesbian, black or a mother does not result in oppression. Allan G. Johnson “Patriarchy, the system: An it, Not a he or an Us” expressed the importance of acknowledging patriarchy as a system and not as an individual. Patriarchy is a society organized around certain kinds of social relationships and ideas. The reading discusses the male dominated society we live in and shows the relationship between the individual and social structure. Johnson states that it is necessary for a person to be outwardly oppressive to be participants in an oppressive society, because if a society is inherently oppressive, individuals will “accept, identify with, and participate in it as normal” It is through the systematic encouragement of oppression and privilege that mistreatment and wounding of certain groups can continue, unaddressed.
The four levels in that demonstrates the impact that patriarchy has on the society are “Personal” which has to do with the feeling, thoughts, and belief about others whether conscious or unconscious. This can be seen as a man (breadwinner) having the final decisions in his family arrangements. “Interpersonal” which are action that can inflict violence. “Institutionalized Patriarchy” are policies, practices, and procedures that an organization can give priority over one another. In some cases, men are given managerial positions over women. “Cultural/Structural” are what is considered to be “true”, “right, “normal” or “beautiful”.
Hi Talisha,
Audre Lorde’s writing piece definitely sparked a thought in me that I never truly thought about before. As you stated, Lorde faced many obstacles of oppression, better known as, levels of oppression, and neither one of them is better than the other. To have so many different unique and personal characteristics working against you rather for you, can be difficult to deal with. We can only hope that in the future, we slowly but surely get better at reducing the use of labels to characterize a human being’s worth.
Hi Talisha,
I completely agree with you. In your response, you stated that Lorde faced various oppressive barriers, often known as degrees of oppression, and that none is better than the other. Hopefully, things will improve for everyone one day. But, in the meanwhile, we must continue to fight. Things may not appear to have altered, yet our world is progressively evolving. Excellent job!!
Hi Talisha
You claimed in your response that Lorde faced a variety of oppressive hurdles, referred to as levels of oppression, and yet none of them were better than the others. Things will hopefully improve for all of us one day. However, we shall continue to battle in the meanwhile. Even if things don’t appear to have changed, our environment is always changing.
Hopefully one day things will get better for all of us as our environment changes for better. I agree with Lorde faced a variety of oppressive hurdles but none of them were better than the others.
Hi Talisha, I believe that maintaining this control system prevents society as a whole from becoming informed and to keep growing. We have to keep fighting to create a change in our society.