Being oppressed means the absence of choices
I’m re-reading bell hooks’ Feminist theory: from margin to center right now, hence this small portrait of her. I’m thinking about removing it from the frame & making it into a patch to put on a t-shirt instead (just have to find a suitable tee).
For those of you that don’t know, bell hooks (or Gloria Jean Watkins, which is her real name) is an American writer, feminist & scholar that deals with the relationship between sexism, racism & class. I like they way she challenges the contemporary idea of feminism as a movement & an expression that could mean just anything, depending on who defines it. According to hooks, feminism must be “the struggle to end sexist oppression” & that means that the dominant liberal feminism of today, that doesn’t deal with class issues, can never be real feminism. She is relentless in her assault on white, middle class feminists (hey, that’s me!) & the movements unwillingness to acknowledge & analyze it’s own racism & class issues. But at the same time as she advocates a raging criticism against how white feminists have excluded & marginalized black women or other ethnic groups & made their own strive for equality with privileged white men the goal, she’s very clear on what has to be done: a turn towards companionship, solidarity & bonding between women (a bond that does not have it’s roots in an imagined shared role as “victim” or “oppressed”, but in shared strength & resources). She’s even written a book that is all about love. I’d really recommend reading bell hooks to anyone who’s interested in the ways that sexist, racist & class oppression works together & has to be challenged together.
Cross posted from cross yr stitches.
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4 Responses to “Being oppressed means the absence of choices”
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That portrait is wicked, and it would be ace as a patch. (Am I using “ace” right? Rayna inspired me to incorporate it into my vocab.)
I can’t wait to read “All About Love: New Visions” – I’ve been thinking about relationships of love and how it can inform our approach to social justice (especially from the perspective of militant research.) Thanks for recommending!
hey, thanks! “all about love” is next on my list to, i hope to find it as inspiring as the other texts by hooks that i’ve read this far.
& i think that was a proper use of “ace”, english isn’t my first language but it sounds right to me. let’s use it more!
yay you’re both ace!
that is amayyyyy-zing!
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