Audre Lorde, "I Am Your Sister":

Consider the following excerpts from Audre Lorde’s address, "I Am Your Sister":

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“When you read the words of Langston Hughes you are reading the words of a Black Gay man. When you read the words of Alice Dunbar-Nelson and Angelina Weld Grimke, poets of the Harlem Renaissance, you are reading the words of Black Lesbians. When you listen to the life-affirming voices of Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey, you are hearing Black Lesbian women. When you see the plays and read the words of Lorraine Hansberry, you are reading the words of a woman who loved women deeply” (p. 61).

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“Just as racist stereotypes are the problem of white people who believe them, so also are homophobic stereotypes the problem of heterosexuals who believe them. In other words, those stereotypes are yours to solve, not mine, and they are a terrible and wasteful barrier to our working together” (p. 62).

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“I am a Black Lesbian, and I am your sister” (p. 63).

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Drawing upon these and other words of Audre Lorde’s, explore the relevance of her perspective to jazz, to African American culture, and to the broader American culture.  Consider one or more of the following questions: Is the male dominance of jazz a manifestation of a larger male dominance within American society?  Does the relative rarity of women in jazz make them more deserving of attention?  How does sexual orientation influence and affect identity, social behaviors, art?  How do Audre Lorde’s words influence and affect your view of our culture?