Audre Lorde has had several first encounters with Italy, my country, and she has seen different political scenarios unfold along the years. At first during the 80s as a quiet stream flowing through the few politically active lesbians who had more or less direct access to her work, or even better had had the chance to meet her. Then in a fragmented way that almost felt fortuitous, and at last in a more holistic form. The linguistic factor has long been an impediment for the fruition and distribution of lgbt culture in Italy, especially when it comes to English. What Lorde has signified for Italian lesbians and beyond though, certainly exploded the walls of language. I propose an analysis of Lorde’s circulation through Italy’s lgbt communities – seen through the eyes of a then young now no longer young lesbian from the south. I will also refer to my translation of Lorde’s biomythography, published in 2014 (Zami. Così riscrivo il mio nome, edited by Liana Borghi, Edizioni ETS, Pisa, 2014).