Get Your Smart On
I’ve scheduled a live for this Wednesday, April 2 at 1pm EST, on Audre Lorde’s “The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action.” You can easily find a copy of this text online, and above I’ve added a Youtube video of a reading it, if you prefer that. And below are a set of notes to guide our discussion. Feel free to add any questions or topics that you would like to address during the live in the comments section below:
In Audre Lorde's powerful address, "The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action," Lorde argues passionately for the necessity of breaking silence and speaking one's truth, even in the face of fear. Drawing from her experience of confronting a potential cancer diagnosis, she illuminates how facing mortality underscored the profound regrets of her own silences and the liberating power of voicing what is most important. She also emphasizes the interconnectedness of various forms of oppression, and the vital role of language and action in individual and collective liberation, particularly for marginalized groups. Below are six themes that emerge in her discussion:
Lorde's central argument revolves around the idea that silence is not a neutral space but a breeding ground for fear, and ultimately for self-betrayal:
“I have come to believe over and over again that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood. That the speaking profits me, beyond any other effect.”
She emphasizes that the potential pain of speaking out is less damaging than the internal corrosion of silence, especially in the face of inevitable mortality:
“Of what had I ever been afraid? To question or to speak as I believed could have meant pain, or death. But we all hurt in so many different ways, all the time, and pain will either change or end. Death, on the other hand, is the final silence.”
Lorde directly challenges the notion that silence offers protection:
“I was going to die, if not sooner then later, whether or not I had ever spoken myself. My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you.”
Instead, she posits that true strength and connection come from the act of speaking one's truth and engaging with others:
“But for every real word spoken, for every attempt I had ever made to speak those truths for which I am still seeking, I had made contact with other women while we examined the words to fit a world in which we all believed, bridging our differences.”
Fear is acknowledged as a significant barrier to speaking out. However, Lorde argues that understanding and contextualizing fear can be a source of strength:
“And I began to recognize a source of power within myself that comes from the knowledge that while it is most desirable not to be afraid, learning to put fear into perspective gave me great strength.”
Her daughter's insightful analogy highlights the internal consequences of suppressing one's truth:
"Tell them about how you’re never really a whole person if you remain silent, because there’s always ‘that one little piece inside you that wants to be spoken out, and if you keep ignoring it, it gets madder and madder and hotter and hotter, and if you don’t speak it out one day it will just up and punch you in the mouth from the inside.’ ”
Lorde emphasizes that the transformation of silence into language is not merely an individual act but a crucial component of collective struggle and liberation:
“In the transformation of silence into language and action, it is vitally necessary for each one of us to establish or examine her function in that transformation and to recognize her role as vital within that transformation.”
She stresses the importance of examining the language we use and ensuring it serves the cause of truth and justice:
“For those of us who write, it is necessary to scrutinize not only the truth of what we speak, but the truth of that language by which we speak it.”
The principles of Kwanza, particularly Umoja (unity) and Ujima (collective work and responsibility), are invoked to underscore the communal aspect of breaking silence and building a better future together.
Lorde critiques the divisions that prevent people from connecting and supporting each other in the fight against silence. She challenges the excuses used to avoid engaging with the experiences and perspectives of others:
“For instance, ‘I can’t possibly teach Black women’s writing — their experience is so different from mine.’ Yet how many years have you spent teaching Plato and Shakespeare and Proust? Or another, ‘She’s a white woman and what could she possibly have to say to me?’ Or, ‘She’s a lesbian, what would my husband say, or my chairman?’ Or again, ‘This woman writes of her sons and I have no children.’ And all the other endless ways in which we rob ourselves of ourselves and each other.”
She argues that despite differences, the fundamental human need for expression and connection should transcend these imposed barriers.
Lorde acknowledges the inherent fear associated with visibility and self-revelation but insists that it should not paralyze us:
“And it is never without fear — of visibility, of the harsh light of scrutiny and perhaps judgment, of pain, of death. But we have lived through all of those already, in silence, except death.”
She also draws a helpful parallel between learning to work while tired and learning to speak while afraid, emphasizing that societal conditioning has often prioritized fear over the need for expression.
IN sum, Audre Lorde's "The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action" is a powerful and enduring call to confront our fears, break our silences, and speak the truths that reside within us. True liberation, both individual and collective, lies in the courageous act of articulating our experiences, challenging injustice, and building connections across differences.
See some of y’all on Wednesday!
Tired of subscriptions? Consider making a one time donation, starting at just $1 🧡 on Ko-Fi.