A review by jayisreading
Feminism Is for Everybody by bell hooks

informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

I hesitantly say that this is one of those so-called “must read” books on feminism for those who want to think about what feminism means, as well as what it means to live in a feminist world. If you’re looking for a more textbook approach to feminism, then this book might be a bit disappointing since it’s more on the anecdotal/reflective side of things, but I think it’s important to amplify these perspectives (which hooks acknowledges), especially ones that aren’t from academic circles and (cisgender) white women who come from financially comfortable backgrounds. I also liked that hooks highlighted the importance of class and race when discussing feminism, which I think both still get lost in conversation today.

The reason why I expressed my hesitation at the start is because it has its shortcomings. The main one is not really hooks’ fault, which is that the book is, in many ways, outdated. For one, I was shocked (yet not) that hooks made no mention of trans women and their relationship to feminism and the movement, considering her insistence that feminism is for everybody. There were also language issues, mostly the whole referring to men and women as “males” and “females.” Lastly, I’d say some of her opinions may have been more reflective of what was pervasive at the time and are more egregious today. Her comments on (cisgender) queer women were... interesting, to say the least.

Maybe it would be better to say that this is a book to check out after reading some more contemporary works on feminism, that way you can critically think about what hooks is discussing, but also acknowledge her shortcomings. It’s certainly an important book, but one that requires some scrutiny. 
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