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wordsofclover 's review for:
Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot
by Mikki Kendall
"Sometimes being a good ally is about opening the door for someone instead of insisting that your voice is the only one that matters."
This book is a great look, and an honest look, at modern day feminism and modern day feminists and all the way the movement and those involved are failing those who need it most in marginalized communities.
The author Mikki Kendall takes a deep dive into different parts of life in which feminism - and white feminists - have let down black or POC women, disabled women and people in the queer community or who are femme-presenting. And how issues like housing, gun violence, and parenting are all issues that come back to feminism and how people can use their voices to shine a light on those who need help, and improve the system to help young women growing up in all sorts of circumstances have support when they need it, and potentially help their future in the long run.
"Sometimes solidarity is just that simple. Step up, step back, and keep pushing forward."
While this book for obvious reasons is heavily focused on issues in the US, it made me think about things in my own country of Ireland - how marginalized women are treated here - women of colour, women with disabilities, trans women and femme-presenting people and non-binary people. How feminists in Ireland need to continue to hit out at the cruelty that is Direct Provision - that is harmful to all but affects women with families and can be downright dangerous to transpeople and others in the queer community. To really listen to changes in welfare that could affect women who depend on it, and the systems that if dismantled could prove disastrous for many but if slightly improved could mean a new meaning of life for a lot of people and better for futures for little girls.
"But the patriarchy has more heads than the Hydra and must be tackled from all sides."
It was also really interesting to read this book straight after the 2020 Presidential Election in the US as Mikki Kendall had some interesting things to say about voter turnout, and voting within the Hood and voting in communities of colour. And we all know that Black women in particular really helped turn the tide of the 2020 election towards the better path.
"Fear of Black people. Fear of immigrants. Fear of the Other. It's an endless cycle that hinges on the willingness of white women to ignore their own power to effect positive change."
I definitely recommend this book for anyone wanting to explore intersectional feminism and to really think about making changes to the way they use their voice or thinking about things in a feminist light. The book is really easy to read, and even for someone who is not in the US, I found a lot of topics easy to understand as well. It's one that made me think in light of my own country and I feel like it could be the same for anyone in different parts of the world.
This book is a great look, and an honest look, at modern day feminism and modern day feminists and all the way the movement and those involved are failing those who need it most in marginalized communities.
The author Mikki Kendall takes a deep dive into different parts of life in which feminism - and white feminists - have let down black or POC women, disabled women and people in the queer community or who are femme-presenting. And how issues like housing, gun violence, and parenting are all issues that come back to feminism and how people can use their voices to shine a light on those who need help, and improve the system to help young women growing up in all sorts of circumstances have support when they need it, and potentially help their future in the long run.
"Sometimes solidarity is just that simple. Step up, step back, and keep pushing forward."
While this book for obvious reasons is heavily focused on issues in the US, it made me think about things in my own country of Ireland - how marginalized women are treated here - women of colour, women with disabilities, trans women and femme-presenting people and non-binary people. How feminists in Ireland need to continue to hit out at the cruelty that is Direct Provision - that is harmful to all but affects women with families and can be downright dangerous to transpeople and others in the queer community. To really listen to changes in welfare that could affect women who depend on it, and the systems that if dismantled could prove disastrous for many but if slightly improved could mean a new meaning of life for a lot of people and better for futures for little girls.
"But the patriarchy has more heads than the Hydra and must be tackled from all sides."
It was also really interesting to read this book straight after the 2020 Presidential Election in the US as Mikki Kendall had some interesting things to say about voter turnout, and voting within the Hood and voting in communities of colour. And we all know that Black women in particular really helped turn the tide of the 2020 election towards the better path.
"Fear of Black people. Fear of immigrants. Fear of the Other. It's an endless cycle that hinges on the willingness of white women to ignore their own power to effect positive change."
I definitely recommend this book for anyone wanting to explore intersectional feminism and to really think about making changes to the way they use their voice or thinking about things in a feminist light. The book is really easy to read, and even for someone who is not in the US, I found a lot of topics easy to understand as well. It's one that made me think in light of my own country and I feel like it could be the same for anyone in different parts of the world.