--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Advocating the mere tolerance of…" description: "\"Advocating the mere tolerance of difference between women is the grossest reformism. it is a total denial of the creative function of difference in our..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6c/audre-lorde-758_advocating_advocating-the-mere-tolerance-of-differe_1202772.jpg" --- # Advocating the mere tolerance of difference between women… ![“Advocating the mere tolerance of difference between women is the grossest reformism. it is a total denial of the creative function of difference in our lives. Difference must be not merely toleration, but seen as a fund of necessary polarities between which our creativity can spark like a…” quote by Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6c/audre-lorde-758_advocating_advocating-the-mere-tolerance-of-differe_1202772.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6c/audre-lorde-758_advocating_advocating-the-mere-tolerance-of-differe_1202772.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6c/audre-lorde-758_advocating_advocating-the-mere-tolerance-of-differe_1202772.jpg) > “Advocating the mere tolerance of difference between women is the grossest reformism. it is a total denial of the creative function of difference in our lives. Difference must be not merely toleration, but seen as a fund of necessary polarities between which our creativity can spark like a dialectic. Only then does the necessity for interdependency become unthreatening. Only within the interdependency of different strengths, acknowledged and equal, can the power to seek new ways of being in the world generate, as well as the courage and sustenance to act where there are no charters” [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True creativity arises when differences are embraced as complementary forces, not merely tolerated. **In simple terms:** Embrace differences to spark creativity. Key Takeaway Seek equality, not just tolerance. Themes eism creativity interdependency gender equality Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical activist When to use this quote - teamwork - social movements - artistic collaborations - policy making - education reform Key Concepts Dialectics polarities creative function Questions to Reflect On - How can we turn differences into collaborative strengths? - What structures prevent true interdependency? A Different Perspective Tolerating differences without deeper integration limits innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Denial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denial/) [Dialectics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dialectics/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Polarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polarity/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Sustenance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sustenance/) [Tolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerance/) [Toleration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toleration/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Differences must be not merely tolerated, but seen as a fund of necessary polarities between which our creativity can spark like a dialectic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/differences-must-be-not-merely-tolerated-but-seen-as-a-fund-of/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [Toxic masculinity hurts men, but there’s a big difference between women dealing with the constant threat of being raped, beaten, and killed by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jensen/toxic-masculinity-hurts-men-but-there-s-a-big-difference-between/) [Robert Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jensen/) > [What intrigues me is the difference in how women experience power, and how men do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-steel/what-intrigues-me-is-the-difference-in-how-women-experience-power-and/) [Danielle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-steel/) > [What's interesting is that both men and women are struggling with this issue in remarkably similar percentages, but the big difference is that women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-levine/what-s-interesting-is-that-both-men-and-women-are-struggling-with/) [James Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-levine/) > [“There is nothing different between man and women. Even their behavior is the same. The only difference is that women are secretive on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/there-is-nothing-different-between-man-and-women-even-their-behavior/) De philosopher DJ Kyos > [Dont put yourself out as a hoe. put yourself out as a woman. difference? a women is one of a kind . a hoe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-put-yourself-out-as-a-hoe-put-yourself-out-as-a-woman-difference/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I feel more comfortable doing films with groups of guys. It's a lot easier for me. There's a difference with women: you can't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-berenger/i-feel-more-comfortable-doing-films-with-groups-of-guys-it-s-a-lot/) [Tom Berenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-berenger/) > [Don't forget, I was a musician long before I ever met Prince. That's a big difference between me and those other women he's worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-e/don-t-forget-i-was-a-musician-long-before-i-ever-met-prince-that-s-a/) [Sheila E](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-e/) > [We will ask two central questions throughout this course: 1. What difference does gender make? 2. For which women does it make a difference? Which women?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle-freedman/we-will-ask-two-central-questions-throughout-this-course-1-what/) Estelle Freedman > [If we are going to out-innovate, out-compete, out-educate other countries, it's going to be women who make a difference, it's women who are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/if-we-are-going-to-out-innovate-out-compete-out-educate-other/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [I don't want to overstate the gender difference. But women are more sensitized to the way that larger issues affect their pocketbooks, like pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/i-don-t-want-to-overstate-the-gender-difference-but-women-are-more/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [Men have been domesticated, and I don't think it's necessarily good for them. They have been emasculated with the pill and women becoming more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-whitfield/men-have-been-domesticated-and-i-don-t-think-it-s-necessarily-good/) [June Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-whitfield/) > [I think one difference is that women don't cook from a place of ego; they cook to please their customer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-lofaso/i-think-one-difference-is-that-women-don-t-cook-from-a-place-of-ego/) [Antonia Lofaso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-lofaso/) > [Both men and women are fallible. The difference is, women know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-bron/both-men-and-women-are-fallible-the-difference-is-women-know-it/) Eleanor Bron > [The law of polarity brings forth clarity to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mercado/the-law-of-polarity-brings-forth-clarity-to-your-life/) [Joseph Mercado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mercado/) ## More by Audre Lorde > [Every woman I have ever loved has left her print upon me, where I loved some invaluable piece of myself apart from me-so different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/every-woman-i-have-ever-loved-has-left-her-print-upon-me-where-i/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [There are many kinds of open. . . Love is a word, another kind of open. . . Take my word for jewel in your open light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/there-are-many-kinds-of-open-love-is-a-word-another-kind-of-open-take/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [Your silence will not protect you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/your-silence-will-not-protect-you/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [I can't really define it in sexual terms alone although our sexuality is so energizing why not enjoy it too?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-can-t-really-define-it-in-sexual-terms-alone-although-our-sexuality/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“For once we begin to feel deeply all the aspects of our lives, we begin to demand from ourselves and from our life-pursuits that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/for-once-we-begin-to-feel-deeply-all-the-aspects-of-our-lives-we/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [the fear of death is that you are dying too soon. Nobody wants to, but at the point that you die you can pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/the-fear-of-death-is-that-you-are-dying-too-soon-nobody-wants-to-but/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“There is an important difference between openness and naïveté. Not everyone has good intentions nor means me well. I remind myself I do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/there-is-an-important-difference-between-openness-and-na-vet-not/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [What are the words you do not yet have? What do you need to say? What are the tyrannies you swallow day by day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/what-are-the-words-you-do-not-yet-have-what-do-you-need-to-say-what/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [I learned to read from Mrs. Augusta Baker, the children's librarian. ... If that was the only good deed that lady ever did in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-learned-to-read-from-mrs-augusta-baker-the-children-s-librarian-if/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [Poetry is not only dream and vision; it is the skeleton architecture of our lives. It lays the foundations for a future of change,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/poetry-is-not-only-dream-and-vision-it-is-the-skeleton-architecture/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“I think that in America there are certain kinds of problems and in Russia there are certain kinds of problems, but basically, when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-think-that-in-america-there-are-certain-kinds-of-problems-and-in/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [Institutionalized rejection of differences is an absolute necessity in a profit economy which needs outsiders as surplus people. As members of such an economy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/institutionalized-rejection-of-differences-is-an-absolute-necessity/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [The sharing of joy, whether physical, emotional, psychic, or intellectual, forms a bridge between the sharers which can be the basis for understanding much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/the-sharing-of-joy-whether-physical-emotional-psychic-or-intellectual/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“I forgot what we were celebrating. Because we were always celebrating something, a new job, a new poem, a new love, a new dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-forgot-what-we-were-celebrating-because-we-were-always-celebrating/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [How a diamond comes into a knot of flame How a sound comes into a word, coloured By who pays what for speaking. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/how-a-diamond-comes-into-a-knot-of-flame-how-a-sound-comes-into-a/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) [Explore all 377 Audre Lorde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) ## More Advocating quotes > [As an American I am of course fundamentally opposed to democracy and to anyone advocating or defending democracy, which in theory and practice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/as-an-american-i-am-of-course-fundamentally-opposed-to-democracy-and/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [I am not a terrorist, but neither am I a pacifist. I am simply a regular guy from the Palestinian street advocating only what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marwan-barghouti/i-am-not-a-terrorist-but-neither-am-i-a-pacifist-i-am-simply-a/) Marwan Barghouti > [I am not advocating doing nothing. I am advocating for you to energetically, actively and vigilantly monitor how you are BEING.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-strong/i-am-not-advocating-doing-nothing-i-am-advocating-for-you-to/) [Brenda Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-strong/) > [We did 'Jack & Bobby' in the middle of the Kerry/Bush election. It hurt it a little bit. No matter what we did, everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-berlanti/we-did-jack-bobby-in-the-middle-of-the-kerry-bush-election-it-hurt-it/) [Greg Berlanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-berlanti/) > [I'd like to see more crossover between white and black music. That's something I've been advocating for years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-hall/i-d-like-to-see-more-crossover-between-white-and-black-music-that-s/) [Daryl Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-hall/) > [Every company can use someone advocating loudly for the customer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-dunn/every-company-can-use-someone-advocating-loudly-for-the-customer/) [Andy Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-dunn/) > [If we were living in ancient Rome or Greece, I would be considered sickly and unattractive. The times dictate that thin is better for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwyneth-paltrow/if-we-were-living-in-ancient-rome-or-greece-i-would-be-considered/) [Gwyneth Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwyneth-paltrow/) > [Are the great spiritual teachings really advocating that we fight evil because we are on the side of light, the side of peace? Are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/are-the-great-spiritual-teachings-really-advocating-that-we-fight/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [I think Hamas should be challenged to consider really embracing Gandhi and Dr. Kings philosophy of advocating nonviolence as a way to achieve self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/i-think-hamas-should-be-challenged-to-consider-really-embracing/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Whatever I believe here and whatever you think I'm advocating, it's not because I care what happens to the Republican Party. I care about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/whatever-i-believe-here-and-whatever-you-think-i-m-advocating-it-s/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The press has bravely and nobly eroded the public trust... What I'm advocating is the media come work for us again. Remove themselves from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/the-press-has-bravely-and-nobly-eroded-the-public-trust-what-i-m/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [I knew about some experience on the operational part of the CIA with Latin American services and so forth having to do with torture.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-mcgovern/i-knew-about-some-experience-on-the-operational-part-of-the-cia-with/) [Ray McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-mcgovern/) > [If I was courting the Muslim vote, I wouldn't have put establishing the partnership ceremony at the forefront of my first term, would I?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-livingstone/if-i-was-courting-the-muslim-vote-i-wouldn-t-have-put-establishing/) [Ken Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-livingstone/) > [Freedom is living without government coercion. So when a politician talks about freedom for this group or that, ask yourself whether he is advocating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/freedom-is-living-without-government-coercion-so-when-a-politician/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Zbigniew Brzezinski, who was really one of the - whose name is impossible to pronounce - who was really one of the architects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/zbigniew-brzezinski-who-was-really-one-of-the-whose-name-is/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) Browse all 194 Advocating quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Advocating the mere tolerance of difference between women is the grossest reformism. it is a total denial of the creative function of difference in our lives. Difference must be not merely toleration, but seen as a fund of necessary polarities between which our creativity can spark like a dialectic. Only then does the necessity for interdependency become unthreatening. Only within the interdependency of different strengths, acknowledged and equal, can the power to seek new ways of being in the world generate, as well as the courage and sustenance to act where there are no charters", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Audre Lorde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/advocating-the-mere-tolerance-of-difference-between-women-is-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advocating" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/advocating-the-mere-tolerance-of-difference-between-women-is-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6c/audre-lorde-758_advocating_advocating-the-mere-tolerance-of-differe_1202772.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6c/audre-lorde-758_advocating_advocating-the-mere-tolerance-of-differe_1202772.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6c/audre-lorde-758_advocating_advocating-the-mere-tolerance-of-differe_1202772.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Advocating the mere tolerance of difference between women is the grossest reformism. it is a total denial of…” — Audre Lorde", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Audre Lorde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Advocating the mere tolerance of difference...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/advocating-the-mere-tolerance-of-difference-between-women-is-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/advocating-the-mere-tolerance-of-difference-between-women-is-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```