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rberdan's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
I love bell hooks. When her writing hits the mark, it leaves an imprint on my heart. Her point of view was one of the first I encountered when I was introduced to feminism over 20 years ago. This is absolutely a 5-star book when I consider how she argues that feminism is not anti-men but rather anti-sexism, and how she challenges whiteness and class privilege within the movement and argues that truly dismantling patriarchy requires an intersectional approach.
What I struggle with is that something that unfortunately still remains relevant today in so many ways (white women are still wielding feminism in was that harm BIWOC, class and education privilege still keep feminism at an academic level that perpetuates the polarization we see today), it is also deeply rooted in gender binary and not trans inclusive. The way sexual orientation is described sounds straight out of a playbook on homophobia, so deeply rooted in choice and with so many examples of women “choosing lesbianism” in response to harmful experiences with men and patriarchal systems. While some of what she had to say was actually at odds with this language, it was still a bit uncomfortable to consume.
What I struggle with is that something that unfortunately still remains relevant today in so many ways (white women are still wielding feminism in was that harm BIWOC, class and education privilege still keep feminism at an academic level that perpetuates the polarization we see today), it is also deeply rooted in gender binary and not trans inclusive. The way sexual orientation is described sounds straight out of a playbook on homophobia, so deeply rooted in choice and with so many examples of women “choosing lesbianism” in response to harmful experiences with men and patriarchal systems. While some of what she had to say was actually at odds with this language, it was still a bit uncomfortable to consume.
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Lesbophobia
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