On culture, class, and homophobia.
The fourth section of A Bridge Called My Back collects short essays and a few poems that serve to highlight not only the experiences shared between Third World Women but also the differences between them. The chapter is about finding strength in a bond even when there is no connection. A quote that resonated with me from the introduction of the chapter is “Here we begin to fill in the spaces of silence between us. For between the seemingly irreconcilable lines–the class lines, the politically correct lines, the daily lines we run down to each other to keep difference and desire at a distance–the truth of our connection lies.” It is so important to recognize the differences between us, because without this acknowledgment we cannot come together as feminists to make change for all women. Third World Women cannot just be lumped into that one category without exploring the nuances between their cultures and subsequent needs out of the feminist movement. It is in the consideration of these differences that the movement can strengthen, and so can our bond as sisters.
Another section of this chapter I found particularly impactful is the “Letter to Ma,” by Merle Woo. “Do you see your repressed anger in me?” Is something she asks her mother in this letter, and it floored me. I think there’s something so relatable about that question. As daughters I feel like we inherit our mother’s anger and trauma, at least more than son’s might. This aspect in the relationship between mothers and daughters almost feels essential despite being subconscious, and resonates as something I’ve experienced with my own mom when we talk about certain issues. Maybe she can’t listen, or she won’t listen, because like Woo asks, “what doors would groan right open if you heard my words with complete understanding? Are you afraid that your daughter is breaking out of your shackles, into total anarchy?” (138). The shackles were possibly placed there by her mother, but they are also the ones that keep her mom tied up as well. We deal with the same issues, but the intergenerational gap feels occasionally too large to overcome. But in the end we love our mothers, and they remain beautiful and important to us. If we can better understand our relationship to each other as well as our relationship side by side to the oppression we face, it would help.
I really enjoyed reading your response to this section! I like what you said about daughters inheriting anger and trauma from their mothers. I feel like the process of confronting our own racism, sexism, etc. becomes more complicated when we encounter the racism, sexism, etc. that was brought up in us by our family members, especially our mothers. It’s hard to see our mothers struggle from oppression, but still ingrain some of those oppressive ideologies into their children.