Feminism Is for Everybody: Passionate Politics

I heard of bell hooks years ago, but have put off reading her for some time. I recently began to work alongside a mostly female team at my job, so I’m reading several feminist texts to appreciate their life and work experiences better. After reading this short work, I wish I would have read her sooner because her perspective was so healing! I liked it so much that I immediately purchased another book of hers, specifically discussing and addressing men (The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love). It’s no secret that American society has been undertaking a huge discussion about gender in the past 65 or so years. “Discussion” might not be the right word; “argument” might be better. Anyways, I’ve become concerned that our conversations tend to branch off from each other too much and never unite again. Fortunately, hooks’ words unite without losing feminism’s salty essence. Indeed, she seems to argue that feminism’s essence should unite. As a longstanding voice in feminism who grew to fame by bringing racial issues to light, her dual identity – or intersectionality – allows her to come to a bigger picture of human togetherness than a lot of white feminists can. Which is just another way to show how black women rock. The book’s only drawback for me was the chapter on feminism and spirituality. I’m about as passionate about Christian history as hooks is about feminism, so history’s depths root my words. She suggests swapping masculine religious symbols out for feminist ones because of Christianity’s “patriarchal norms.” I wholeheartedly agree that fundamentalist/evangelical Christianity in America maintains these norms and that they should be overcome. I disagree that this has always been the case in Christianity. Look at the long, positive history of dealing with the “Virgin Mary” which expresses the value of women choosing God. (Yes, Mary’s role is so strong that negative gender norms have fixated on her, too.) Or how the medieval church declared that God transcended gender. Or how Jesus invited women into his circle when no one else in Judaism gave them access. Or how the Second Great Awakening empowered women and enslaved persons. Etc. I support her argument for feminist inclusion in contemporary religion, but it needs to be made by someone with deeper theological roots. Overall, though, I love this book. It brought healing and unity in places it was lacking. More people should consider hooks’ insights. The word “feminism” in the title might scare some people off – particularly men – but considering her thoughts can only make us better people. And better people include men like me that want to be rock starts at work, in our families… and even trash talking with each other about sports. I’m grateful that hooks enlightened me a bit, and I’m looking forward to her next book.

Wow, for a short book, without too many five dollar words, this work is extremely thorough and requires a lot of work and contemplation on the part of the reader. hooks covers so much ground, so many facets of feminism in this work. From what consciousness raising is, to reproductive rights, to the impact of beauty standards, race and gender, classism, parenting, hetero and LGB relationships... Feminism is about love, and more, it's about freedom for men and women, to get away from the toxic societal models that are literally killing us. "Most citizens of this nation still do not understand the link between male domination and male violence. And that failure to understand is underscored as our nation is called upon to respond to violent murders of family members, friends, and schoolmates by young males of all classes." Feminism, for those in the back, is NOT about hating men. hooks likes men; I love them - most feminists I know, love men as well as women. When hate enters the picture, it's about hating a dynamic that pits men and women against each other, that forces people into stereotypes that don't fit them. hooks addresses the problems created when feminism seemed to become white, academic, and classist, and encourages us all to learn about intersectionality (something I'm not great at yet, but am working on it). "If feminist movement had not offered a true accounting of the dangers of perpetuating sexism and male domination, it would have failed. There would have been no need to mount an anti-feminist campaign." There's a backlash BECAUSE doing something other than the thing we know, patriarchy, is terrifying to many, and threatens those who might lose their privilege. Yet if they did, there's so much to be gained, for all of us. Feminism is for everybody.

This book is a quick read and reminder of the true meaning of feminism. It is so much more than simply being female! Highly recommend if you need/want to remember what feminism is, really.

Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics by Bell Hooks approaches feminism from a perspective of inclusiveness as indicated by the title. Hooks explores the idea that everyone benefits from the pursuit of equal rights for women. Interspersed in her essays is the idea that feminist leaders are sometimes guilty of playing into the patriarchy's hands by pitting those who should be joining together against one another. She explores the use of racism and classism, sometimes unconscious, as instrumental in keeping feminism from making the strides it could make. Hooks points out that when equality comes to our society everyone benefits in a stronger community filled with productive citizens working together for the betterment of all. She goes on to explore how the upper and even middle classes use inequality to exploit others for their own benefit often while not even seeing how the very lives they live are built on the services of other people. Hooks explores inequality and its relationship to feminism with passion, intelligence, and integrity to the point of making me examine how I live my life in relationship to those around me.

I love this book! Indeed, feminism is for everybody! Do buy the book if you can! I think the perspective hooks offers in this book needs to be made into a film so the mass can access to the depth of her analysis. I applaud the courage she had to put this type of works during her time. We take some stuff for granted but it's certainly thanks to intellectuals like hooks that racial relations are better understood in the U.S.

I love this book, it’s a great introduction to feminism, the author makes it very easy to understand and it’s not overwhelming long or hard to get through. Great quick book to have a better understand of feminism!

I had joined a Book Club focusing on Feminist Politics and this book showed up just in time! I ordered it and two days later it was at my door. Unfortunately, the book itself, I felt, had an agenda that wasn't timely and was broken up unevenly. I also felt that the book was driven in a direction that the author was trying to avoid. She makes a few objectives clear in her preface but I fail to see them satisfied in the rest of the book. For the record, she makes some valid points and as an active feminist, I can appreciate her take. However, this is not a book I would reccomend to someone who is just starting out on the road to active feminism. Having that said, this is a decent read if what you're looking for is to take a different angle on feminism. Her spin on the role racism plays in feminism is too potent for a book on general feminist politics, in my opinion, but at the very least it will open a different perspective of the subtopics of feminism.

Book was shipped fast in great condition. It was a requirement for a philosophy course. Although the book is short, Hooks is able to open the reader's eyes to the many inequalities within society. Even though I wouldn't have chosen this book on my own, I definitely did not mind reading this for class. Hooks uses everyday language and draws upon personal experience which makes the book enjoyable and an easy read.

The book surely have a great and consolidated content but the delivery was terrible, heavily bent, even worse considering the high price, I might return it

This is an excellent book on feminism that manages not to be too theoretical but still delves deep. Recommend this book to everyone and anyone interested in feminism as a bigger picture: it offers not only a definition of feminism but examines topics such as race, gender & class, feminist parenting/masculinity/sexual politics – and much more. Great book!

Yeah nah. But I had to buy it for Uni. Yuk anyway. Solid book

I bought the kindle version by mistake. I am trying to cancel and change for paperback version, but there isn’t any option. Help me. I have just made this mistake.

Bell Hooks is a must read for anyone trying to understand feminism.