--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: From my membership in all of these groups…" description: "\"From my membership in all of these groups I have learned that oppression and the intolerance of difference come in all shapes and sizes and colors and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/050/audre-lorde-758_children_from-my-membership-in-all-of-these-group_3029236.jpg" --- # From my membership in all of these groups I have learned… ![“From my membership in all of these groups I have learned that oppression and the intolerance of difference come in all shapes and sizes and colors and sexualities; and that among those of us who share the goals of liberation and a workable future for our children, there can be no hierarchies of…” quote by Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/050/audre-lorde-758_children_from-my-membership-in-all-of-these-group_3029236.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/050/audre-lorde-758_children_from-my-membership-in-all-of-these-group_3029236.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/050/audre-lorde-758_children_from-my-membership-in-all-of-these-group_3029236.jpg) > “From my membership in all of these groups I have learned that oppression and the intolerance of difference come in all shapes and sizes and colors and sexualities; and that among those of us who share the goals of liberation and a workable future for our children, there can be no hierarchies of oppression.” [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. Oppression takes many forms; liberation requires rejecting hierarchical structures among marginalized groups. **In simple terms:** Oppression is varied; equality needs non‑hierarchical solidarity. Key Takeaway Build inclusive, non‑hierarchical movements. Themes social justice intersectionality solidarity Mood critical inspirational Type political philosophical When to use this quote - activism - policy reform - community organizing Key Concepts critical theory feminism Questions to Reflect On - How can movements stay inclusive of all identities? - What challenges arise when rejecting hierarchies? A Different Perspective Complex power dynamics may be oversimplified. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Hierarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hierarchy/) [Intolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intolerance/) [Liberation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberation/) [Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression/) [Sexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexuality/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“There was no tenure committee or central committee, however, to lift Oprah out of the societal mud-to say, for example, to Phil Donahue, "Move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-horowitz/there-was-no-tenure-committee-or-central-committee-however-to-lift/) [David Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-horowitz/) > [There is no Hierarchy of Oppressions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/there-is-no-hierarchy-of-oppressions/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“And yes, there is a hierarchy. There is a difference between painting a back fence and writing a poem, but only one of quantity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/and-yes-there-is-a-hierarchy-there-is-a-difference-between-painting-a/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [Within the lesbian community I am Black, and within the Black community I am a lesbian. Any attack against Black people is a lesbian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/within-the-lesbian-community-i-am-black-and-within-the-black/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [ Some \[intentional communities\], like the Shakers and the Harmony Society, have endured for a century or even longer. The Hutterians, to cite an extreme… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zablocki/some-intentional-communities-like-the-shakers-and-the-harmony-society/) Benjamin Zablocki > [Church membership was so important that Paul and Silas baptized the Philippian jailer into the membership of Christ's church at midnight with Paul's back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-adams/church-membership-was-so-important-that-paul-and-silas-baptized-the/) [Jay Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-adams/) > [Its so easy to feel bombarded by photos of people at the gym, and people telling you that you need a gym membership. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-richardson/its-so-easy-to-feel-bombarded-by-photos-of-people-at-the-gym-and/) [Anna Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-richardson/) > [. . . the membership relation for sets can often be replaced by the composition operation for functions. This leads to an alternative foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saunders-mac-lane/the-membership-relation-for-sets-can-often-be-replaced-by-the/) Saunders Mac Lane > [I have no doubt that there will continue to be bumps, some serious crises indeed in our relationship with China… Neither membership in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-patrick-moynihan/i-have-no-doubt-that-there-will-continue-to-be-bumps-some-serious/) [Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) > [What I appreciate about WP is that they have very clear processes for candidacy and membership. There is no fast track or parachuting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-seah/what-i-appreciate-about-wp-is-that-they-have-very-clear-processes-for/) [Nicole Seah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-seah/) > [Have you walked around in heels? That's a workout. But like all good gay men, I have a gym membership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-del-rio/have-you-walked-around-in-heels-that-s-a-workout-but-like-all-good/) [Bianca Del Rio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-del-rio/) > [Turkey's NATO membership is one thing that is forestalling the worst-case scenario - open conflict between Russia and Turkey - because neither Moscow nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kenyon/turkey-s-nato-membership-is-one-thing-that-is-forestalling-the-worst/) [Peter Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kenyon/) > [If I could get my membership fee back, I'd resign from the human race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/if-i-could-get-my-membership-fee-back-i-d-resign-from-the-human-race/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [I've never belonged to any group that didn't have at least one member who wasn't a total dick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rock-cowles/i-ve-never-belonged-to-any-group-that-didn-t-have-at-least-one-member/) [Rock Cowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rock-cowles/) > [I became an MP in 2017 and have been around to watch Liberal Democrat party membership soar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layla-moran/i-became-an-mp-in-2017-and-have-been-around-to-watch-liberal-democrat/) [Layla Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layla-moran/) ## 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. 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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 Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. 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You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? 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