Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
“The fights against hunger, homelessness, poverty, health disparities, poor schools, homophobia, transphobia, and domestic violence are feminist fights. Kendall offers a feminism rooted in the livelihood of everyday women.” —Ibram X. Kendi, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist, in The Atlantic
“One of the most important books of the current moment.”—Time
“A rousing call to action... It should be required reading for everyone.”—Gabrielle Union, author of We’re Going to Need More Wine
A potent and electrifying critique of today’s feminist movement announcing a fresh new voice in black feminism
Today's feminist movement has a glaring blind spot, and paradoxically, it is women. Mainstream feminists rarely talk about meeting basic needs as a feminist issue, argues Mikki Kendall, but food insecurity, access to quality education, safe neighborhoods, a living wage, and medical care are all feminist issues. All too often, however, the focus is not on basic survival for the many, but on increasing privilege for the few. That feminists refuse to prioritize these issues has only exacerbated the age-old problem of both internecine discord and women who rebuff at carrying the title. Moreover, prominent white feminists broadly suffer from their own myopia with regard to how things like race, class, sexual orientation, and ability intersect with gender. How can we stand in solidarity as a movement, Kendall asks, when there is the distinct likelihood that some women are oppressing others?
In her searing collection of essays, Mikki Kendall takes aim at the legitimacy of the modern feminist movement, arguing that it has chronically failed to address the needs of all but a few women. Drawing on her own experiences with hunger, violence, and hypersexualization, along with incisive commentary on reproductive rights, politics, pop culture, the stigma of mental health, and more, Hood Feminism delivers an irrefutable indictment of a movement in flux. An unforgettable debut, Kendall has written a ferocious clarion call to all would-be feminists to live out the true mandate of the movement in thought and in deed.
“The fights against hunger, homelessness, poverty, health disparities, poor schools, homophobia, transphobia, and domestic violence are feminist fights. Kendall offers a feminism rooted in the livelihood of everyday women.” —Ibram X. Kendi, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist, in The Atlantic
“One of the most important books of the current moment.”—Time
“A rousing call to action... It should be required reading for everyone.”—Gabrielle Union, author of We’re Going to Need More Wine
A potent and electrifying critique of today’s feminist movement announcing a fresh new voice in black feminism
Today's feminist movement has a glaring blind spot, and paradoxically, it is women. Mainstream feminists rarely talk about meeting basic needs as a feminist issue, argues Mikki Kendall, but food insecurity, access to quality education, safe neighborhoods, a living wage, and medical care are all feminist issues. All too often, however, the focus is not on basic survival for the many, but on increasing privilege for the few. That feminists refuse to prioritize these issues has only exacerbated the age-old problem of both internecine discord and women who rebuff at carrying the title. Moreover, prominent white feminists broadly suffer from their own myopia with regard to how things like race, class, sexual orientation, and ability intersect with gender. How can we stand in solidarity as a movement, Kendall asks, when there is the distinct likelihood that some women are oppressing others?
In her searing collection of essays, Mikki Kendall takes aim at the legitimacy of the modern feminist movement, arguing that it has chronically failed to address the needs of all but a few women. Drawing on her own experiences with hunger, violence, and hypersexualization, along with incisive commentary on reproductive rights, politics, pop culture, the stigma of mental health, and more, Hood Feminism delivers an irrefutable indictment of a movement in flux. An unforgettable debut, Kendall has written a ferocious clarion call to all would-be feminists to live out the true mandate of the movement in thought and in deed.
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Community Reviews
This book is so inspiring for those women who just love to volunteer and help out in their communities. They're about doing good without needing a spotlight. I was reading this while playing https://slot-online.com I got completely hooked on both this book and slot online as I was reading.
This book is a must-read for all women of color AND anyone else who claims to be a feminist. I enjoyed how Mikki Kendall touched on several important topics and backed up her words with research. I was able to relate to her personal experiences and felt understood when she openly shared them. She touched on topics that I didn't know I needed to know. I learned HOW Black women are affected by every social issue (housing, education, mental health, health care, gender inequality, financial inequality, etc). This was a great read. Thank you Mikki!
4.75 Stars
While I have been aware of the gaps in systemic support and various means of oppression against marginalized communities and women within marginalized communities, I can appreciate how Mikki Kendall has clearly laid out how these relate to feminism. Kendall also calls out those who claim to be feminist, benefit from feminism, and yet turn a blind eye to hardships of oppressed groups -some even blatantly further oppressing others for their own benefit. Mikki Kendall is real in this. The stats, facts, context, and personal accounts really added to the message. It's information that we all really need to be aware of, especially feminists that are out there trying to do right and work towards equality.
While I have been aware of the gaps in systemic support and various means of oppression against marginalized communities and women within marginalized communities, I can appreciate how Mikki Kendall has clearly laid out how these relate to feminism. Kendall also calls out those who claim to be feminist, benefit from feminism, and yet turn a blind eye to hardships of oppressed groups -some even blatantly further oppressing others for their own benefit. Mikki Kendall is real in this. The stats, facts, context, and personal accounts really added to the message. It's information that we all really need to be aware of, especially feminists that are out there trying to do right and work towards equality.
Required reading. An eye-opening call to action. Objectively a 5 star book.
Some of my favorite quotes below, all coincidentally coming from the introduction.
“She [the author’s grandmother] taught me that being able to survive, to take care of those I loved, was arguably more important than being concerned with respectability.”
“Going into a white woman’s kitchen did nothing to help other women. Those jobs had always been available, always paid poorly, always been dangerous…. A better deal for white women could not be, would not be, the road to freedom for Black women.”
“I am not ashamed of where I came from; the hood taught me that feminism isn’t just academic theory. It isn’t a matter of saying the right words at the right time. Feminism is the work that you do, and the people you do it for who matter more than anything.”
“We rarely talk about basic needs as a feminist issue. Food insecurity and access to a quality education, safe neighborhoods, a living wage, and medical care are all feminist issues.”
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