Final answer:
Audre Lorde's essay stresses the importance of using differences among women as strengths for change and community empowerment rather than merely tolerating them. These concepts are part of the broader dialogues on women's liberation and dismantling oppressive structures in society.
Step-by-step explanation:
In "The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House," Audre Lorde does not argue that simply tolerating difference is the best approach to women's collaboration. Instead, she emphasizes the necessity of embracing and utilizing differences among women as a form of strength to enact change. Lorde's work is not solely focused on tolerating difference, but on recognizing the unique experiences brought by each individual—particularly those marginalized such as black women, lesbians, and the elderly. Her essay suggests that survival and creating change require turning these differences into strengths and using them as a foundational basis for collective empowerment and liberation.
Lorde’s writings, along with the work of others such as Virginia Woolf and Kate Chopin, contribute to the dialogues surrounding women’s liberation and the necessary conditions for achieving equality. They advocate for acknowledging the unique perspectives and voices of all women and argue that this acknowledgment can lead to a restructuring of society to be more inclusive and egalitarian. The transformation of oppressive power structures is seen as an essential step towards building a community where every woman can affirm her identity.
Moreover, the impact of Lorde's work transcends her own writings, inspiring others like Dr. Deidra Somerville to explore the implications of using traditional systems for community empowerment. Thus, Lorde's argument is centered around the transformative power of difference and the need for a broadened understanding of solidarity among women to truly dismantle the oppressive structures that exist.