Reading Group meets tomorrow!
Mad Woman’s new classic feminist essays Reading Group meets tomorrow, Wednesday 5/28 at noon PT/3pm ET.
Come talk with us about Audre Lorde’s essay “The Uses of the Erotic.” You can find an introduction to the essay along with the essay itself and our opening discussions at the links below:
I’ll also open up a chat thread later today for folks to drop their questions and any topics you might want to discuss.
The Zoom link is at the bottom of this post, below the paywall. This event is only for paid subscribers, who make everything you read here possible. We really hope you’ll join us!
In our discussion tomorrow, we’ll unpack how the essay can be applied to our current political and cultural moment, as well as what the essay brought up for us personally. We had an incredibly expansive and lively conversation last month and the discussion was so well attended! We could have gone on for hours I think, but we’ll limit ourselves to an hour tomorrow.
If you feel confused about parts of the essay or have questions, that is all totally welcome. This is a supportive space to discuss everything Lorde’s work makes you think or wonder about, and to untangle how we might apply the concepts in the essay to our lived experiences today.
One final favorite passage of mine for us to meditate on in the meantime:
We have been raised to fear the yes within ourselves, our deepest cravings. But, once recognized, those which do not enhance our future lose their power and can be altered. The fear of our desires keeps them suspect and indiscriminately powerful, for to suppress any truth is to give it strength beyond endurance. The fear that we cannot grow beyond whatever distortions we may find within ourselves keeps us docile and loyal and obedient, externally defined, and leads us to accept many facets of our oppression as women.
Here’s the Zoom info— see you tomorrow!