Thank you all for your blog post comments! Many of the comments I received touched on the idea of how intimacy has more than a sexual or physical meaning and that Lorde turned it into an emotional and passionate connection. Lorde wanted to incorporate being touched emotionally by the ideas and conversations brought up in class, but she is not completely disregarding the physical touch either. Professor Savonick showed during our virtual class a photo of Lorde surrounded by her students. They were close together showing the welcoming, accepting, and safe space Lorde brings into her classroom. Her students looked happy to be where they were in that moment. To them, Lorde was probably more than just their teacher. She’s their mentor, friend, and escape room to let out the feelings that may not be able to be expressed elsewhere. I think the main reason she was so successful in her classroom and life was because she was so honest and real with everyone she encountered. In her “Poet as Teacher” essay, she describes her full self, leaving nothing out. She doesn’t want to create an “injustice” to her students (183). This carries over into her course material as she relates her assignments and class discussions about real life situations and how they can connect with each other and also her students’ lives.
I also wanted to touch on the idea of this uncomfortableness she also wants students in the class to feel. Not everything that is talked about is something people like to share or comment on. In a room full of different cultures, genders, and sexuality, there will be tension. But this is what she encourages. The unspoken words that need a place to roam free without judgement. She wants to make her classroom this place, but also continue to be strong and dedicated to the topic they are discussing. In her poem, “Blackstudies,” she writes, “I am afraid of speaking/ the truth.” This stood out to me because she was once afraid of saying what was on her mind and now she encourages her students to do what she couldn’t. This is very powerful because she knows people won’t always share what needs to be said. She is taking initiative to not only help her students learn and grow, but so they can take what they learn and incorporate these ideas in their lives and be able to and want to take action.
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