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Being a black lesbian, Lorde describes a consciousness based off of intersectionality, where various views coincide/cross. She encourages us to recognize our differences, rather than fear them.

Anzaldua presents a consciousness pertaining to the “borderlands� or “hybrid� consciousness. She encourages us to heal the split between race, class, sexuality etc. She recognizes that she will forever be a hybrid or a neither in culture categories.

Lorde tells us that blacks, women, those of the 3rd world, the working class, and the older are subordinate within the United States. More specifically, she brings up the issue of black women (and other women) disregarding skin color and focusing on gender in terms of feminism. Furthermore, Lorde talks about black lesbians being a threat to black nationhood.

Anzaldua (and other “hybrid� individuals) is faced with a cultural situation where she must decide which culture she wants to be a part of depending on who she is around at the time. She is caught in a bind and is required to “juggle� between these different ways of life.

Lorde’s consciousness helps us look at the bigger picture of oppression. Instead of focusing on a single form of oppression, we’re pushed to look at the possibility of multiple forms of oppression working simultaneously. We seem to rank some forms of oppression worse/better than others, but that needs to stop because oppression is oppression.

Anzaldua’s consciousness really pushes us to have empathy for those who don’t have a place/have multiple places in the world. She brings up the idea of creating new cultures for those who are split between two.

Both Lorde and Anzaldua are faced with multiple oppressions. They’re both female and colored. In addition, Lorde is a lesbian and Anzaldua is biracial. Both of them must struggle with themselves on the inside. One major difference between Lorde and Anzaldua involves intersectionality; Lorde is all about it, whereas Anzaldua is broken. Her parts are severed and therefore cannot intersect.