This book review originallu published at www.YPSL.org
Feminism Is For Everybody
By bell hooks
Published by South End Press, 2000
$12.00
In the introduction, bell hooks (who chooses not to capitalize her name) writes that she has trouble explaining what feminism is about to people who have only heard about it third hand, believing feminists to be a lot of angry lesbians. She wanted a little book to be able to hand them and say "this is what feminism is about." That is what {u} Feminism Is For Everybody sets out to be.
Moving beyond stereotypes of crew cut hair and Birkenstocks, hooks defines feminism as "a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression." By that definition, men as well as women have something to gain by feminism. And by defining patriarchy as the problem, not men, she sets the record straight about feminism's aims.
The critical role feminism plays in our lives is an important one. Patriarchy, or male domination, is tied inextricably to every aspect of our culture. By identifying patriarchy's role in our own behavior, we are able to better understand our own position in what hooks calls "imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchy."
bell hooks is radical visionary feminist. She is radical in her belief that it will take a radical change in society to end patriarchy (as opposed to liberal feminists, who believe full change is possible within the current structure). She is visionary in her ability to imagine what this better world will look like. She is also one of many feminists who sees the connections between patriarchy and class, race, homophobia, and violence.
In Feminism Is For Everybody hooks does make an attempt to speak for feminism as a whole. However, her perspective that of a radical visionary feminist, so not every line in her book applies to every feminist. hooks sees a connection between violence against women and imperial militarism and so calls for an end to all violence. She acknowledges women's capacity for carrying on sexist ideas and also sees men as having a key role to play in ending patriarchy.
She outlines all these ideas (and others) in a clear, plain language, without ever simplifying them. She makes her book a great resource for anyone wanting to begin learning about the passionate politics of feminism. It can also be a tool for bringing people who do not identify as feminists into the fold. Its style is casual and friendly. It avoids academic language and explains things without seeming to be speaking down to the reader.
Each chapter is set up as a short essay on a specific subject; short, concise, and usually with a brief conclusion relating the goals of feminism on that subject. Examples include Feminist Class Struggle, Race and Gender, Global Feminism, Consciousness Raising, and A Feminist Sexual Politic. These are large topics, but hooks is able to paint the details within broad strokes of writing.
Chapters only last about 5-7 pages and could be discussed separately as a discussion series held by a school club. They could be photocopied and passed out in packets for everyone involved. Or the book could be given away at raffles or contests. The title Feminism Is For Everybody lends itself to sharing, of creating community, and makes a great slogan for outreach campaigns.
It is important to note there is not one single feminism or one single thread of feminist thought. bell hooks promotes her specific model of feminism. When reading or discussing this book, it is necessary to not let the conversation end once the book is put down. Feminism is something always changing, always growing, and offers a space for an incredible amount of diversity of opinion. It is that diversity that Feminism Is For Everybody urges the reader to seek out.
A key to struggle is knowing and using the strength of the past to help change the future, and with this book bell hooks reaffirms that indeed sisterhood is still powerful.