Throughout the anthology, This Bridge Called My Back, several of the female writers mention the need for solidarity between women in the struggle for justice. Popular culture pushes women to focus on differences between one another instead of unite as a powerful, cohesive front in society. Cherríe Moraga, along with other writers, calls for this practice to be changed. Rather than concentrating on how women are divided through experiences, females should use the differences to connect to each other and employ them, as a unified force, against the dominant culture. However, the oppression which women have been subjected to hinders this solidarity. The extensive oppression of women has resulted in women themselves internalizing their subjugation. In turn, the oppressed become the oppressors of their own kind. In order to overcome the internalization hindering women’s solidarity one must confront the issues and begin a dialogue with others, one that will bridge together women.
Unity can be seen as a major motif throughout the entirety of This Bridge Called My Back, however internalized oppression complicates the issue. Genny Lim in her poem, “Wonder Woman,” questions whether if there is a commonality between women, and if so, why women are not recognizing it. Lim ponders, “I look at them and wonder if/They are a part of me/I look in their eyes and wonder if/They share my dreams…Why must woman stand divided?/Building the walls that tear them down?” (Lim, 25-26) Instead of accepting one another, women harm each other like the rest of society does. Cherríe Moraga also discusses the need for the collectivity of all women. Moraga states, “The real power, as you and I well know, is collective. I can’t afford to be afraid of you, nor you of me…this polite timidity is killing us.” (Moraga, 34) Women have been trying to fight against oppression individually, when they should be assembling together to compound their power. However, the internalized oppression of women actually results in women contributing to the oppression of their own gender. With women taking the dual role of both the oppressed and the oppressor, they become afraid of discourse. Moraga discusses, “…each of us in some way has been both oppressed and the oppressor. We are afraid to look at how we have failed each other. We are afraid to see how we have taken the values of our oppressor into our hearts and turned them against ourselves and one another. We are afraid to admit how deeply ‘the man’s’ words have been ingrained in us.” (Moraga, 32) In addition to this fear of self-recognition, popular culture has taught women to observe differences and tolerate them, but not engage with them. This pressure, along with women’s fear, completely impedes beneficial discourse. Moraga argues, “…one voice is not enough, nor two, although this is where dialogue begins. It is essential that radical feminists confront their fear of and resistance to each other, because without this…we will not survive.” (Moraga, 34) A discussion needs to be started, which means women must face their discomfort. With a dialogue, differences between females can change from forces of separation to forces of strength. Audre Lorde expounds, “Only within that interdependency of different strengths, acknowledged and equal, can the power to seek new ways to actively ‘be’ in the world generate, as well as the courage and sustenance to act where there are no charters…Difference is that raw and powerful connection from which our personal power is forged.” (Lorde, 99) Only through engagement of differences will women gain a common understanding. With a new understanding of differences, women would be able to work together as a cohesive unit to accomplish their goals.
The need for solidarity between women is extremely necessary in the fight against the dominant culture. However, internalized oppression along with institutional pressure against engaging with experiential differences impedes the solidarity effort. The writers of This Bridge Called My Back argue that women should confront their fear of self-awareness and fully engage with the differences, beginning dialogues with other women. These discourses between females would result in a new understanding of differences, giving women tools to employ when acting as a unified group in the struggle for justice.
Thoughts on Histories 