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This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color by Cherríe Moraga, Gloria E. Anzaldúa
mitskacir's review against another edition
3.0
As most essay collections go, this one was hit or miss for me. There were certainly some standout lines that I underlined, and some entire essays/poems that spoke to me, but they were interspersed with many that did not. Written in the 80s, this seems like a very foundational piece of literature that now seems commonplace (although not necessarily irrelevant - just less revolutionary that I suppose it was when published). It was interesting to read a variety of perspectives on separatism, intersectionality, tokenism, dealing with racism/homophobia/etc. in the women's movement, and the personal stories of the writers. The essays that spoke to me less where the ones that ruminated on writing itself (which seemed more therapeutic for the writer than elucidating for the reader), or the ones that called us to connect with goddesses (a form of spirituality that does not resonate with me at all). I'm sure there is a specific (probably more intellectually-minded than me) reader out there who this would be an excellent read, but for me it wasn't very moving.
outcolder's review against another edition
5.0
I had an idea while reading this classic collection: I thought I should edit a book of dogwhistle homophobic, racist and sexist texts by white, 'progressive' and 'liberal' authors, and call that book "This Hat Called My Ass." -- like that bit in the Toni Morrison documentary when they talk about the backlash to her Nobel Prize.
"This Bridge Called My Back" is about starting a conversation between radical women of color and things have improved a lot since then. When I look at organizations like Mijente, and see all the queer people and women in leadership and at the forefront, that's not how it was in 1980 ... I believe a significant part of that change is down to "Bridge." When you look at feminist magazines and organizations today, Bitch Magazine for example, is very intersectional. Even my beloved Teen Vogue today is impossible to imagine without the milestone of "Bridge" some 40 years ago.
I can't say that all of it was fun to read or particularly challenging, but some bits that I particularly liked were the last two sections, "Speaking in Tongues: The Third World Woman Writer" and "El Mundo Zurdo: The Vision." Although I am in most circumstances a white man and more than just relatively privileged, the section about 'third world woman writer' also gave me permission to try to fit five or ten minutes here or there to write or scribble some ideas. The myth that you have to shut everything out and go into a Faulkner trance for weeks to write is shattered for me with this book and the Toni Morrison doc I mentioned. "El Mundo Zurdo" is Gloria Anzaldua's phrase which she translates as "The left-handed world" and she means a radically inclusive world. I am not as into the spellcasting type stuff as Anzaldua was, but El Mundo Zurdo is a vision I can definitely get with.
Well, hopefully I managed to write about this book without being an ass-hat, but I still think a work for white people demonstrating how idiotic we can be when responding to texts like these would be good, and that "This Hat Called My Ass" would be an awesome title for that. I want to end this review with a "Peace!" I hope that isn't too obnoxious.
"This Bridge Called My Back" is about starting a conversation between radical women of color and things have improved a lot since then. When I look at organizations like Mijente, and see all the queer people and women in leadership and at the forefront, that's not how it was in 1980 ... I believe a significant part of that change is down to "Bridge." When you look at feminist magazines and organizations today, Bitch Magazine for example, is very intersectional. Even my beloved Teen Vogue today is impossible to imagine without the milestone of "Bridge" some 40 years ago.
I can't say that all of it was fun to read or particularly challenging, but some bits that I particularly liked were the last two sections, "Speaking in Tongues: The Third World Woman Writer" and "El Mundo Zurdo: The Vision." Although I am in most circumstances a white man and more than just relatively privileged, the section about 'third world woman writer' also gave me permission to try to fit five or ten minutes here or there to write or scribble some ideas. The myth that you have to shut everything out and go into a Faulkner trance for weeks to write is shattered for me with this book and the Toni Morrison doc I mentioned. "El Mundo Zurdo" is Gloria Anzaldua's phrase which she translates as "The left-handed world" and she means a radically inclusive world. I am not as into the spellcasting type stuff as Anzaldua was, but El Mundo Zurdo is a vision I can definitely get with.
Well, hopefully I managed to write about this book without being an ass-hat, but I still think a work for white people demonstrating how idiotic we can be when responding to texts like these would be good, and that "This Hat Called My Ass" would be an awesome title for that. I want to end this review with a "Peace!" I hope that isn't too obnoxious.
imagine1314's review against another edition
4.0
Reading Bridge is reading the record of a movement. This anthology was pivotal for third world feminism. It can be easy to take for granted the values this anthology loudly declares, but reading it today I reminded that an intersectional feminist approach was never a given and had to be fought for.
arussell77's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.75
I use this book OFTEN for work and general reflection.
tophat8855's review against another edition
5.0
Important reading for all humans. It was written in the early 80s, but still so relevant. It is a collection of essays, poetry, speeches, and panel transcripts from conferences, all by American women of color. In that range, it is very inclusive. The only lack I see is the lack of trans women of color and international voices.
I would say most of the essays are written with the intended audience of other women of color, but some are directed at white women in the feminist movement. And it's harsh at times, but we white women do deserve it.
I should have read this book earlier in my life (perhaps as a teen), but better late than never.
I would say most of the essays are written with the intended audience of other women of color, but some are directed at white women in the feminist movement. And it's harsh at times, but we white women do deserve it.
I should have read this book earlier in my life (perhaps as a teen), but better late than never.
comrademena's review against another edition
4.0
good in the beginning, got steadily more repetitive in the middle, and then really good at the end
jaiari12's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual violence, Lesbophobia, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Sexism, and Slavery