Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics

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Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics

4.18 of 5 stars 4.18 · rating details · 2,875 ratings · 193 reviews

A genuine feminist politics always brings us from bondage to freedom, from lovelessness to loving....There can be no love without justice.—from the chapter "To Love Again: The Heart of Feminism"

In this engaging and provocative volume, bell hooks introduces a popular theory of feminism rooted in common sense and the wisdom of experience. Hers is a vision of a beloved commun...more

Paperback, 123 pages

Published October 1st 2000 by South End Press

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Jun 15, 2007 Joy rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: new feminists

I love bell hooks! She is a little less hardcore and not so angry in this book, which makes it more accessable to the masses.... I guess she did that on purpose, given the title of the book "Feminism is for Everybody." Her earlier works are great if you want a taste of angry lesbian, black feminist. And who wouldn't want a taste of that?

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Jun 05, 2007 James rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book is a nice short read covering the basics of feminist theories and detailing bell hooks's experience in becoming a feminist. She touches on a variety of subjects and how they relate to feminism in practice. Class, work, race, bodies, relationships, sexuality, and others are all touched upon. It's pretty good, especially for a beginning text.

I picked it up because I thought I could use a little brushing up on some feminist theory, and I always prefer the basic theory stuff as opposed to...more

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Oct 30, 2007 Qwo-Li rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: activism, africananddiasporicstudies, feminisms

One of the things I love about bell hooks is that she writes radical books for widely different audiences. This book is for both for an audience that hasn't thought much about feminism and has misconceptions of what "feminism" is, and also for feminists who aren't coming from movements that include an analysis of race and class at their centers. I've used this book in first year writing classes to teach about feminist politics and it's been really successful. It's a great book for any sort of in...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Jen Marin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jen by: Nichole

Shelves: nonfiction-psychology, nonfiction-history

I am so glad I was encouraged to read this book. Many things were made clear to me that had previously had been murky and confused. Bell Hooks offers both a history and a clarification of Feminism that helps untangle the myth from the heart of the movement.

Reading this book helped me to examine the role that privilege has played in my own life, and to look for ways to reduce relationships based on power imbalances in my own experience. Both as a person benefiting from privilege, and as someone...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Em rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: the-f-word, i-wish-i-could-go-back-to-college

I liked this book and would absolutely recommend it, but I think the title was misleading and it didn't serve hook's purpose, as I understood it. She calls for the creation of feminist children's books, door-to-door chats, accessible explanations of feminism to those for whom "feminism" is the other "f" word. This is just another example of the academization of feminism hooks critiques; Its language is not exactly easy to follow, it assumes sympathy to feminism from the first page, and relies on...more I liked this book and would absolutely recommend it, but I think the title was misleading and it didn't serve hook's purpose, as I understood it. She calls for the creation of feminist children's books, door-to-door chats, accessible explanations of feminism to those for whom "feminism" is the other "f" word. This is just another example of the academization of feminism hooks critiques; Its language is not exactly easy to follow, it assumes sympathy to feminism from the first page, and relies on at least some prior knowledge. It's less of the introduction it frames itself as and more of a mid-level course (but an excellent one which continues to be relevant 12 years after publication, hello, birth control and abortion debate!). I'd have called it The Patriarchy Hurts Everybody, as that's the main (and totally valid!) argument she makes here. (Also: she straight up says you cannot be pro-life and a feminist, which I 100% agree with, but makes for a sloppy title.)

My other issues, from the petty to the more serious.

1: Who the hell proofread this and what did they have against commas?

2: I read the phrase "white supremacist capitalist patriarchy" so many times that it stopped having meaning. (Also: this is what I mean about the language not being the most accessible).

3: The book makes some very excellent points about internalized misogyny manifesting in mother to child violence and abuse, which I honestly hadn't thought of before, and does mention that some men find themselves experiencing domestic violence, not as the abuser but as the abused, but seems to ignore homophobia and the myriad of violence it carries with it, for men and women, as an aspect of the sexism entrenched within our society. Seemed like kind of a gaping omission.

4: Speaking of gaping omissions, there was not a single mention of trans* women (or men). This was disappointing, but honestly not shocking. Trans* women may not have the all of the exact same concerns as cis women (mostly when it comes to abortions and contraceptives to prevent pregnancy) but this doesn't mean they aren't women just the same and shouldn't be part of the "everybody" in the title. I wasn't surprised to see trans* women left out, but it does speak to one of hooks' central themes: that feminist women too often get stuck in the constraints of race, class, sexuality, political affiliation education level, and nationality and we need to look beyond them in order to attain true "sisterhood". I just wish she'd included sex/gender identity in that list as well.

5: I was actually deeply distressed by the amount of times she made the connection between lesbianism (and to a lesser extent, bisexuality) and the notion of choice. It came up so often that it can't have been a misunderstanding on my part. I sincerely hope what she meant was more along the lines of "the choice to live as an out lesbian/bisexual woman and to embrace that side of oneself" and not "the choice to BE a lesbian/bisexual woman". Though she only explicitly states this version once (page 88 "choosing bisexual practice"), every other mention of sexuality and choice seems to frame queerness as an active decision. Just in case this is any way unclear: coming out of the closet is (usually and ideally) a choice. The way in which you present (whether or not you can "pass") is also, usually, a choice. Being in the closet in the first place? Is not. This aspect of the book left an incredibly bad taste in my mouth and is the reason I can't give it more than 3 stars.

Despite my issues with Feminism is for Everybody I still wholeheartedly agree, am still proud to call myself a feminist, and greatly enjoyed reading something academic in nature after nearly 2 years out of college. It's been a while since I've read anything which made me think the way this did, and I missed engaging with texts.(less)

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Feb 19, 2011 Ciara rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: feminist-y-books, read-in-2011

i kind of live-blogged this book while i was re-reading it. yes, i originally read it shortly after it was released, because i loved bell hooks back then & felt she could do no wrong as a feminist theorist. this book was my first hint that she can do some pretty serious wrong. in the decade since, her writing has gone steadily downhill & is currently almost completely unreadable, incoherent, hippie weirdness. there are little hints of the man-pandering mega-christian hooks was to become...more i kind of live-blogged this book while i was re-reading it. yes, i originally read it shortly after it was released, because i loved bell hooks back then & felt she could do no wrong as a feminist theorist. this book was my first hint that she can do some pretty serious wrong. in the decade since, her writing has gone steadily downhill & is currently almost completely unreadable, incoherent, hippie weirdness. there are little hints of the man-pandering mega-christian hooks was to become here, but my bigger issue with this book is that 1) the book, despite its brevity, veers wildly away from its own stated thesis to act as a basic introductory primer for people reluctant to align themselves with the feminist movement, & 2) the book instead functions as a repository for hooks's own myriad opinions about what feminism really is & how contentious inter-movement arguments should have shaken out. as such, it is riddled with opinion disguised as fact & questionable arguments built on an ever-shifting bedrock of historical inaccuracy concerning the formations, goals, & fractures within the second wave feminist movement. because there are no citations, footnotes, or leads to supplementary reading about the many, many issues that hooks touches upon in her shallow, four-page chapters, a beginning feminist reader can only assume that hooks's assertions are accurate & true, because they are presented to be so. hooks positions herself as the leading authority on every issue she writes about (in all of her books), & in this one, she writes about topics that she has absolutely zero personal experience with & her expert tone grates.

i remembered disliking this book quite a bit when i first read it ten years ago. but because i still respected hooks as a theorist & a writer then, i charitably assumed that the problem was the structure--that hooks just wasn't cut out to with elementary introductory primers. she has historically shone as a thinker when writing about the intersections between race & feminism, & her writing on this topic has not always been simple & easy to digest. so i thought perhaps having to wander so far into a different territory necessitating a radically different authorial voice, hooks struggled.

i re-read it this past week for a feminist book club i recently joined, & i discovered that the real problem is that this book fucking sucks. in one of the earliest chapters, hooks shares her perspective that to be anti-choice is to be anti-feminist--that no person can be feminist if they don't respect a woman's right to bodily autonomy in the form of supporting her right to choose abortion. fair enough. then hooks goes on to elaborate that she is personally very opposed to abortion for herself, although she has never been faced with an unintended pregnancy & has not had to actually make the choice. FASCINATING. except not. this is anecdata & it has no place in a book that purports to be an objective primer on feminist issues. this book is not billed as a memoir; therefore, i do not care about hook's hypothetical personal stance on abortion. she goes on to explain that she has had many friends over the years who were reluctant to take birth control lest men find them slutty. rather than interrogating how a patriarchal culture that is hellbent on controlling women's sexualities might be playing a role in encouraging otherwise intelligent women to have sex with men who would classify them as "slutty" for making proactive decisions about their family planning options, hooks instead exorciates these women for behaving irresponsibly & seeking repeat abortions after becoming pregnant. she claims that medical science has taught us that repeat abortions are known to cause health problems.

this is where the book lost me. repeat abortions do not in fact cause any health problems. there is some question of whether repeated dilation of the cervix can cause issues like cervical softening or perhaps scarring in extreme cases. but the manifestations of these issues with repeat abortions obviously pale in comparison to the health risks & long-term health impact of bearing repeat babies. & the advent of earlier pregnancy detection & greater abortion access means that women are able to seek abortions earlier in their pregnancies, when less cervical dilation is necessary to complete the procedure.

anti-choice advocates, like the ones that hooks condemns as being "anti-woman, & therefore anti-feminist" have been making a lot of in-roads in trying to convince women that they may suffer long-term negative helth effects from having abortions. they have created the false psychological condition known as "post-abortion stress syndrome" (rightfully unrecognized by psychological authorities) & have falsely linked abortion to breast cancer & infertility. these are all scare tactics designed to intimidate women out of pursuing abortion. there is no legitimate medical evidence to support them. it is sad & enraging to see hooks repeat these myths, especially in a book aimed primarily at young or otherwise inexperienced-in-feminism people who may not be privvy to feminist attempts at countering these lies.

i had a LOT of other similar criticisms of the book. hooks suggests that wealthy feminists & their male allies should pool their financial resources to open low-income housing co-ops & co-operative feminist elementary schools. she does not address the fact that funding public educations & low-income housing is ostensibly the job of the government, & that feminists could/should also pressure the government to meet that responsibility. she suggests that consciousness raising groups, in which women in community with one another (neighbors, co-workers, friends) gather together to discuss the issues facing their gender & strategies for integrating feminist practice into their everyday lives should make a comeback. fair enough, but she suggests that CR groups be run like alcoholics anonymous meetings. she does not explain why a feminist discussion group should be structured like a support network for recovering addicts. are feminists in recovery from an addiction to patriarchy?

the chapter on feminist parenting pretty much didn't address parenting at all. instead, it functioned as a six-page screed in which hooks congratulated herself for apparently being the only feminist around willing to address the seriousness of child abuse, & to call out female abusers. knowing something about hooks's personal history as a child abused at the hands of her mother, i could only assume that an autobiographical conceit was at work, because hooks is in no way "one of the only" feminists concerned about child abuse or willing to acknowledge the realities of female abusers. hooks offered no practical tips whatsoever for how a feminist might integrate her political beliefs into her parenting--which is unsurprising, as hooks is not a mother & has no personal experience in this area. but then why address it at all? or why address it without doing outside research in order to flesh out the chapter? there are thousands upon thousands of feminist mothers who probably would have been happy to talk with hooks about their issues & strategies.

this is one example among many that makes plain the fact that hooks wrote the book with no research, completely off the cuff, in order to meet a deadline. she regularly quotes her own previously published books as sources--& they are almost the only sources in the book. there is no list of citations or recommended further reading in the back of the book. to hear hooks tell it, she is practically the only feminist who has been publishing on the topics the book covers, & her books are the best place to turn for further reading. having read pretty much the entire hooks ouvre, i can say that they vary wildly in quality, often use other hooks books as citations & theoretical examples, & often function as a way for hooks to grind an axe in argument with other prominent feminist writers--generally without acknowledging that that is what she is doing. she subjectively encapsulates their arguments & generally does not even mention their names.

in the chapter on female sexuality, hooks spills much ink bemoaning the fact that sex wars of the 1980s "tore apart the feminist movement". she sums up some of the more provocative theories & assertions of radical feminists like andrea dworkin (including her claim that in a patriarchal society, all intercourse between men & women is rape) & then explains why these theories are wrong & offensive to feminist practice. but at no point does she actually say, "this is my opinionated response to the writings of andrea dworkin." to do so, she would have to acknowledge that her theories are opinions rather than facts, & she would be giving a confused reader a name to pursue in doing independent outside research. i knew what hooks was talking about because i have been self-educating in feminist theory for twenty years & have read dworkin's books. but the intended audience for this book is not someone like me. it is a person who is brand-new to feminism & unfamiliar with the big arguments & contentious opinions that have impacted the history of the movement. by presenting her opinions as facts & never naming the theorists she is covertly arguing against, hooks seeks to indoctrinate these uninformed readers into her own school of thought from the outset. it so happens that i do not agree with many of dworkin's theories around sex & sexuality--but it's not right for hooks to mischaracterize them (& she does) in such a sneaky, manipulative manner.

i could go on about this for days, but suffice to say, this book is a tremendous disappointment to anyone who comes to feminism hoping to pursue meaningful independent thinking & critical reading skills. hooks shuts down all such possibilities & is obsessed with the opinions one must hold in order to be a "real feminist" she is equally obsessed & tormented by the thought that a feminist could potentially get more media attention that she gets. every chapter contains a snide aside about how people who do not share hooks's viewpoint about one topic or another "got all the media attention & became the face of the movement". hooks seems to be strangely unaware that she is one of the most famous feminist voices in the world & has been for at least twenty years. hooks is routinely catty & competitive with other feminists & particularly with women that she claims are not feminists at all. in the chapter on beauty, she complains that older unpartnered women are now having to "compete for male attention with younger women who are not & never will be feminists." no one has to "compete for male attention". isn't part of feminism eschewing the NEED for male attention? & even if a woman does choose to "compete," can't she do so in a way that doesn't malign women that she assumes are not sympathetic to feminism (because hooks of course has no way of knowing which women consider themselves feminists & which ones do not; though she seems to assume that any woman who is pretty & wears make-up & dresses in a feminine way & dares to flirt with a man hooks wants for herself must not be a feminist). she suggests that lesbians choose to be lesbians, which flies in the face of even the most staid & mainstream gay rights theory. she says that prostitutes are kidding themselves if they think they can prostitute their bodies & maintain sexual agency in their intimate personal relationships (which is about one step away from saying, "you can't rape a hooker"). she essentially calls studies that investigate the impact of patriarchy on the self-esteem of young girls sexist against boys, which is crazy. she even goes so far as to suggest that a renewed respect for the medical value of breastfeeding is sexist, because it shoulders women with more of the burden of feeding a baby. she suggests that a conspiracy is afoot, because the popularity of formula had been experiencing an upward swing until women's liberation started making some headway, & suddenly breastfeeding came back into vogue. she does not stop to consider that perhaps a renewed interest in breastfeeding was in fact a product of women's liberation--that women don't need to be sold an artifical product yoking them to capitalist consumer culture from the moment their babies are born when their bodies can produce a superior product for free.

i could go on & on! there was not a single chapter in this book that did not contain something factually inaccurate, bizarre, or offensive. please don't give this book to your newly-minted feminist friends! i don't know what to suggest instead, but there has GOT to be something better!(less)

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Jan 22, 2010 Angie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: feminism

If the phrase "white supremacist capitalist patriarchy" sends your brain into a tail-spin, this probably isn't a book for you.

If you consider yourself a feminist, you should read this book. If you think feminism is dead, you should read this book. If you want to read about feminism and do not want your hand held, you should read this book.

I would recommend this over Valenti's Full-Frontal Feminism as primer specifically because it addresses the issue of abortion in an intelligent manner and bell...more

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Nov 21, 2009 Scott Zuke rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone high school and up

Recommended to Scott by: bean

Concise and accessible--a very nice one-day introduction to feminism. Some of the early chapters drag slightly, but heck, they're only a few pages, so even they aren't by any means exhausting. The chapters that really hit me most were those that dealt with concrete issues, especially reproductive rights, domestic violence (for which she provides a game-changing redefinition), and the often unseen role of racism and class discrimination that has set back feminism even as practiced by self-proclai...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Greg Brown rated it 4 of 5 stars

After reading this book, I can understand why it's recommended as the best primer on feminism. bell hooks is interested in tracing out an expansive view of feminism, one with the historical understanding of why the movement evolved the way it did, and what should be done to bring it back to its roots. But she manages to do so in some of the most plainspoken language out there. Sure, she'll drop lots of "-ist" language when discussing the issues that often weave through the feminist frame (race,...more

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Aug 14, 2011 Toby Wiggins rated it 5 of 5 stars

Great feminist primer. bell hooks' reason for writing this accessible, easy to read introduction to the past, present and future of feminist activism echos throughout:

"Every time I leave one of these encounters [with people who have misconceptions and hold stereotypes about feminism], I want to have in my hand a little book so that I can say, read this book, and it will tell you what feminism is, what the movement is about … From the moment feminist thinking, politics, and practice changed my li...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Jocelyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, social-commentary, philosophy, read-in-2011, politics

This small book defines feminism as many women and men do not know it, and makes the cause tangible for the reader. bell hooks argues that women can achieve self-actualization and success without dominating each other, as long as sexism is eradicated from society. It's as simple as wanting to end sexism and change the entrenched paternal hierarchy we live in. This book doesn't just tout feminism theory, it also chronicles the history and growth of feminism while finding the fallacies within cont...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Jennifer H. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: feminist-lit, book-club-books

I have to get this off my chest—this book is poorly edited. There are way too many typos—words left out, or just plain incorrect—making sentences incomprehensible. And the punctuation (or lack thereof) is troubling. There, I said it.

Editing issues aside, I did enjoy this book. It’s been a while since my college days of studying gender and feminism, so this book was reaffirming and enlightening. bell hooks’ goal is to simplify feminist theory to show how accessible it is to everyone across gende...more I have to get this off my chest—this book is poorly edited. There are way too many typos—words left out, or just plain incorrect—making sentences incomprehensible. And the punctuation (or lack thereof) is troubling. There, I said it.

Editing issues aside, I did enjoy this book. It’s been a while since my college days of studying gender and feminism, so this book was reaffirming and enlightening. bell hooks’ goal is to simplify feminist theory to show how accessible it is to everyone across gender, sex, class, race and age. I like that bell hooks acknowledges the varying theories/sects of feminism and explains how and why they are not all for the good of the movement. She breaks down the origin of the movement, its goals, deviations (both positive and negative), sums up where feminism currently stands, and offers suggestions on where the focus needs to be (all as a good book should). However, I worry that some parts are oversimplified, particularly her arguments about race and class.

There is just no simplifying race and class (of which I’m sure the author is well aware). But people do simplify the problem, and probably for that reason, among the others that hooks points out, issues on class and race are being left out of the feminist discussion. People (who have overcome obstacle already or were never affected to begin with) try to ignore these issues and say the problem is solved. The problems are far from being solved and the pessimist in me has a hard time believing they ever will be.

The American dream allows for individuals to transcend class and maybe even overcome some racial/ethnic obstacles over time, but American society as a whole will not accept full-blown socialist or communist values (take for instance the whole heath care issue going on right now). Someone has to be on top, or else what’s the point of all the hard work? And if someone is on top, there must be someone at the bottom. It’s not just greedy ole America either; it is inherent in human nature—it’s survival of the fittest. Our country is racist, there’s no denying it, and it’s not only white people who are the racists, though they are the poster child for it (with good cause, mind you). All races and ethnic groups are prejudiced against one another (racial/ethnical/national collective memory does not forgive or forget very easily); it’s just that some prejudices are more predominate and more talked about in the media than others. No country, society, or culture can claim to be free of prejudicial issues (it’s the underlying issue of just about every war ever fought). Where race is not an issue, ethnic and religious prejudices step in.

And why is this? bell hooks would say it’s all due to patriarchy. I’m not inclined to disagree. Patriarchy is a racist, classist, sexist institution. Does it need to change? Yes! Is it changing? At a glacial pace, maybe. It’s one step up and three steps back. If we lived in matriarchal society would things be different? (I’m sure a scant few might still be in existence, but I couldn’t name one, nor could I tell you how past known matriarchal societies functioned, though I am curious to know.) I have a feeling we would still be in the same boat.

Women are very critical of their own sex (patriarchy, patriarchy, sexist patriarchy!), but even in a world where women are on top, there’s still class, race, sexual preference, and religion to contend with. It’s still a dog eat dog world out there and only the strong survive. But this is not the solution bell hooks envisions. Feminism is, of course, the answer. Feminism that is free of sexual oppression, patriarchy, and violence. Feminism that embraces and empowers people of all class and race, regardless of gender. A perfect utopian ideal.

I am a feminist. I agree and support many of bell hooks’ arguments and critiques. I want to be her definition of a feminist. She has renewed my vigor to strive for that self-goal. But sad to say, I am clearly not visionary, and I have no idea how to make her utopia a reality. And if history has taught me anything, it’s that utopias are never perfect, and they never last for long, but I guess that shouldn’t stop us from still trying.
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Jan 03, 2012 Carolyn rated it 2 of 5 stars

This double-backs on itself far too often/ hooks is suggesting an escape from capitalism as the only means of achieving feminist goals, then critiquing modern feminism's lack of feminist advertising. It reviews the various intersections of discrimination with feminism as a central theme - which is critical for any new feminist reader. Unfortunately, the general topic of 'intro to feminism' is lost in the workings of various social movements, making it overwhelming for the target audience as a 10...more

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Feb 14, 2012 MJ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-poc-challenge

Hooks states that the purpose of this book is to give people a short, accessible primer on feminism when they ask her what it is. Does she succeed? I have to say no, she didn't.

That's not to say this isn't worth reading. It is. But it's more about a history of feminism and how it relates to various subjects (such as parenting, race, class, love). It's dreadfully short on details and concrete examples, but chocked full of jargon that would easily scare off hooks' supposed audience.

Randomly openin...more Hooks states that the purpose of this book is to give people a short, accessible primer on feminism when they ask her what it is. Does she succeed? I have to say no, she didn't.

That's not to say this isn't worth reading. It is. But it's more about a history of feminism and how it relates to various subjects (such as parenting, race, class, love). It's dreadfully short on details and concrete examples, but chocked full of jargon that would easily scare off hooks' supposed audience.

Randomly opening to a page:

"Despite the limitations of feminist discourse on sexuality, feminist politics is still the only movement for social justice that offers a vision of mutual well-being as a consequence of its theory and practice. We need an erotics of being that is founded on the principle that we have a right to express sexual desire as the spirit moves us and to find in sexual pleasure a life-affirming ethos."

That's not exactly written in the vernacular.

The book also shows its age in chapters such as Beauty Within and Without and A Feminist Sexual Politic (from which the above quote is taken). Beauty touches on the dangers of eating disorders such as anorexia, but doesn't talk about the broader pressure to be in a certain weight range. Since hooks' writing, there has been the emergence of the Health at Every Size and Enthusiastic Consent movements. Those two ideas have radically opened my eyes to what feminism can do every day to make everyone's live better. As far as feminism and fashion, there are people out there having fun with clothes in a way that has nothing to do with attracting the male gaze. It's fashion for fashion's sake. Man repeller, anyone?

On a more positive note, I do love hooks' insistence that feminism take on all modes of oppression, including class, gender, and sexual orientation. Intersectionality is not optional here. Feminism should not be working to place a few (mainly white) women in powerful positions on par with their male counterparts. The movement should be pushing for the end of the current white patriarchal capitalist system that depends on oppressing people without power for its success.

That's an idea I can support.

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Apr 17, 2013 Josh rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: nobody

Shelves: nonfiction

Tough book to rate. Take the first and last chapter, and you have an incredibly well written book that perfectly sums up feminism, where it's been, where it lacks, and where it could go. Feminism in theory is about respect, about choice, about re-evaluating beliefs and including and affirming everyone. 5-star all the way.

The hundred pages in between are full of humble bragging (the only time she doesn't use generalizations is to either slam a particular target or quote her own books), lamenting...more Tough book to rate. Take the first and last chapter, and you have an incredibly well written book that perfectly sums up feminism, where it's been, where it lacks, and where it could go. Feminism in theory is about respect, about choice, about re-evaluating beliefs and including and affirming everyone. 5-star all the way.

The hundred pages in between are full of humble bragging (the only time she doesn't use generalizations is to either slam a particular target or quote her own books), lamenting the ineffectiveness of the movement and Hooks' personal disillusionment with it, and endless bitter screeds against the "privileged-class, affluent highly-educated white women" who in her opinion co-opted and destroyed the movement that only Hooks is in the best position to set straight. "White supremacist capitalist patriarchy" is another phrase that makes a regular appearance. With all of that on display, it's hard to know whether to renounce feminism (an favor of "humanism" perhaps?) or continue working toward greater equality for all under its name.

I would never recommend it as an introduction. No one barely becoming interested wants to know only why feminism failed or who broke it, when so many would dispute that it even was diminished. This book would turn off any newcomer.

Hooks has a particular habit of denouncing what she unconsciously affirms: Denouncing the retreat of feminism into academic jargon, she uses "patriarchy" constantly without actually defining it, along with "hegemony," "pedagogy" and so on. Denouncing classism while basically engaging in class warfare. It's a university-level book, and deeply fails at its stated goal of being the pamphlet that anyone could be handed to quickly get an overview of why feminism is important, what its loftiest ideals are, and what gains have been made in its name.

As long as it is, much more research should have gone into the book; it should have relied far less on the crutch of Hooks' own experience, and more on quotes from other people. It seems as if this entire book was banged out in her study one afternoon, presenting the entire rest of the movement as nameless and faceless groups who all fit into one of several molds. (The early "radical" movement, the later "classist white-supremacist" movement, or the splintered "male hating" movement.) This book would make it appear that Hooks is the only person in all of feminism who preaches love, inclusion, and education for all.

Getting specific: It's ludicrous that back to back chapters on nearly the same topic could be so different, such as 16 & 17; both are about sexual politics, but 17 is well thought out and well written with a powerful message from the beginning, while 16 is a bitter, meandering mess focused on how feminist bigotry helped turned back the clock on sexual rights. Oddly, all of the best points of that one were made in the last page: We are all too human and can bend our convictions in the face of intense stress, and that sexual freedom isn't about choosing a different path, but about being able to choose any path we desire.

I almost wonder whether the best parts were written by one person, and the rest fleshed out by someone else. But is the worst the ghostwriter, or the best?(less)

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Oct 20, 2007 Carrie rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people who don't what feminism is

Shelves: favorites

This book is so simple and easy to read, a welcome departure from your typical heady academic fare. hooks creates such a simple and concise view of feminism. She creates a view of patriarchy as a system detrimental to all people, not just women. Please give a copy of this book to anyone who thinks feminism is a club exclusive to women only.

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Aug 29, 2012 Jade rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: women, feminism

Famous African-American feminist and author Bell Hooks aims to give her audience a book that she couldn’t find when she felt she needed it herself: an introductory primer to feminism, under the name of Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics. This book isn’t only an introduction to feminism for those interested, but also a way to show that feminism really is for everyone just like the title says it is (and that really means everyone, as Hooks’ feminism is as inclusive as it gets).

This bo...more Famous African-American feminist and author Bell Hooks aims to give her audience a book that she couldn’t find when she felt she needed it herself: an introductory primer to feminism, under the name of Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics. This book isn’t only an introduction to feminism for those interested, but also a way to show that feminism really is for everyone just like the title says it is (and that really means everyone, as Hooks’ feminism is as inclusive as it gets).

This book was recommended to me by many (feminist) women because of the fact that (1) it’s an accessible introduction to feminism, and (2) it provides a proper scope on it because Hooks rightfully includes women of all colours, classes, etc. If I wanted to start somewhere, they said, this would be a solid book.

In a way, I have to agree with them. Hooks’ emphasis on white privileged women becoming/being the main representatives of feminism is particularly strong, as she shows us just how much problems that brought/brings forth and how many experiences it ignored/ignores. A good example: white, high-class, highly educated women sitting at home believing that being able to work would liberate them vs. poor, low educated women already working for less pay than men knowing that the work itself wouldn’t do the liberating. And yet still, women being able to work became one of the main drives behind feminism for a long time, because the voices of those working women were often ignored. So, Hooks’ emphasis on class and race are definitely strong and valid points of this book.

I also commend her for mentioning the fact that women need to be confronted with their own internalized sexism, as this can do just as much harm (perhaps even more) than external sexism. Hooks addresses the fact that the feminist movement started with consciousness-raising, and stimulating women to remove their internalized sexism, whereas that isn’t that important these days anymore (whereas Hooks thinks, and I agree, that this is a very important part of becoming and/or being a feminist).

However, my opinion of this book isn’t entirely positive. This is mainly because of the way it is presented: as an introduction to feminism. And it isn’t, honestly. Though Hooks touches upon most relevant subjects within the movement, she doesn’t present an accurate overview of the history of the movement. She doesn’t give names, dates, references, notes – nothing. Everything seems to blur together with an occasional 60s or 70s comment, but nothing can be thoroughly checked. This is a real big mistake, as someone who’s just starting up in feminism will have no use of this kind of text. I was also annoyed by the fact that she doesn’t back up anything with research, statistics, etc. It feels as if Hooks felt that she needed to pen down her opinion on what she thinks is feminism, instead of writing the primer on feminism like she claims she has.

That’s my biggest issue with Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics: it feels like a platform for Hooks to convey her own opinions, instead of helping beginners along by showing a somewhat objective overview of feminism. This feeling is only strengthened, for me at least, by the fact that she doesn’t give any context by way of dates, years, references, citations, and so forth. Also, it’s horrendously poorly edited, which didn’t really help me along with reading as I was constantly bugged by no use of punctuation, simple mistakes, etc.

Would I recommend this? Well, yes, because I’ve yet to read a book that makes such a great case for truly inclusive feminism. But I certainly wouldn’t recommend it for real beginners wanting to look into the movement a little closer, because it’s mostly just Hooks’ own opinions instead of a somewhat objective overview.
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Apr 07, 2012 lisa rated it 2 of 5 stars

hooks is a radical feminist, and excels at being inclusive talking about feminism. For example, she consistently brings up other issues when discussing feminism, including race and class, and explains their influence on sexism. She also attempts to maintain equality in her coverage of sexism as something perpetuated by both men and women within a patriarchal society - and not as something only done by men to women.

But for its strengths, this book is flawed on many levels. It's small in size but...more hooks is a radical feminist, and excels at being inclusive talking about feminism. For example, she consistently brings up other issues when discussing feminism, including race and class, and explains their influence on sexism. She also attempts to maintain equality in her coverage of sexism as something perpetuated by both men and women within a patriarchal society - and not as something only done by men to women.

But for its strengths, this book is flawed on many levels. It's small in size but is very heady, very dense, and the language in which it is written tends to make it inaccessible for most people outside of academia or without background knowledge of feminist terminology. This makes it very much at odds with hooks' intent to have a small, accessible primer on feminism "for everybody."(I would also suggest an editor to insert more commas and fix misspellings.)

As a whole it is choppy and at times, inconsistent. As I mentioned, hooks' approach is inclusive and draws from her own experiences, but she fails to expand on many of the examples she has included. Things are mentioned and then not discussed again. It seems that hooks bit off more she could chew with this primer. It should have been much simpler or more detailed and longer.

My biggest criticism of this book; however, is that I question its credibility. Where is hooks getting her information from? The only sources quoted are other books hooks has written. No facts are cited, there is no bibliography, and more times than I can count, hooks will refer to facts or data but fails to mention where she got it. For example: "All the medical facts show that children are violently abused daily in this society." (hooks, Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics, 73). I don't doubt that children are violently abused, but what medical facts? And, all the medical facts?

As a historian and librarian, I want to see hooks' research and know where this information is coming from. Even as a primer, it would benefit from having a bibliography for readers new to feminism to further explore the topic.

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Mar 19, 2013 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: feminist, non-fiction

One of the best feminist books I've read in awhile because it discussed more topics and dealt with more issues which hit closer to home for me. I also enjoyed seeing the feminist perspective of a WOC. Interesting points and ideas were brought up which I've not read before and should be developed and put into practice.

It was refreshing to read a book that wasn't telling me that I needed to reject men if I wanted to call myself a feminist and be able to change the world. Her critique of some of e...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Ronald Lett rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Ronald by: Jess Gafkowitz

Shelves: philosophy

This book could have been immensely stronger. As it stands, the main topic comes off as being a strongly held set of opinions instead of being a cohesive whole. There are many instances where the author states something that could potentially be backed up by a source, but without one, it is up to the reader to find out whether it is a fact or merely the author's opinion. As a book meant to induct people who are new to this philosophy, placing most of the burden of research on the reader might no...more

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May 14, 2011 Kiswana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, african-american-nonfiction, favorites, women-s-studies, wishlist, feminism

I really enjoyed reading this book as an introduction to feminism. It was definitely easy to read and provided many noteworthy quotes. However, the book lacked references to other books outside of bell hooks' own work. She says in the introduction that this book is for people who are skeptics to the feminist movement, and it's her way of referencing a book that deals with an array of topics within the movement. While everyone who reads this book will not take an interest in feminism, the people...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Razool rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a great book. I have to read Bell Hooks "Feminism From Margin to Center" to understand more about feminism. This book has reevaluated the way I think about feminism, and I loved how she argued that it is not only women that are hurt by the "White Male Capitalist Patriarchy". Feminism, especially radical feminism is about ending the oppression in every way posssible of women, but in doing so creating an equitable society. As someone who believes in egalitarianism, I can say without hesit...more

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Dec 21, 2010 Lachelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Pretty dense, despite its shortness. You have to love a book that regularly uses the phrase "White Supremacist Capitalist Patriarchy".

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Mar 30, 2011 Chanel Earl rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have read several negative reviews about this book. Mostly they claim that it doesn't portray feminism in the right way. As a person just learning about feminism and how complicated it is, I really enjoyed the simplicity of this book. This wasn't written for people who already know all about feminism. It was written for feminists like me who don't know what they believe yet and are trying to understand what is going on.

I liked this book, so far. It is simple, clear and written for people who...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Audra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Too much memoir, filled with opinions that have no basis in fact. More like an op/ed than a.primer on feminism. That being said, hooks does raise questions and make statements that encourage intense self - examination and reflection, which can only make the movement stronger. Intersectionality is discussed but sometimes in an extremely hostile manner. Though the hostility is understood, it doesn't always fit with her inclusive desire and supposed purpose of authoring this book.

I am abandoning th...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Caroline Deveau rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

This is an enlightening read on what feminism really is: a movement to eliminate inequality and create a world in which men and women can live as mutual partners free from domination. Domination is the key term that Hooks uses, and it transcends gender.

A straightforward read that gets a little evangelical at times, Hooks has done a wonderful job accomplishing what she set out to do: create an accessible primer for feminism. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in learning more abo...more

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May 25, 2011 Lee Bullitt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: all-time-favorites

Bell Hooks seems to have written this book because she felt that no one has done done anything like this. This is not to be seen as pure fact, she does not have footnotes, instead assorted references to other feminist writers. But through her intense opinion and understanding of what feminism IS vs what it COULD be is very well done and definitely inspiring.
One has to realize that that was her main goal; to bring the concept of feminism to the broader masses, and I believe that if this was the...more

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Nov 15, 2009 McCall rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Scholars

Recommended to McCall by: Professor

I felt that bell hooks was spot on through most of her book. However, unlike the title the "context" may not be for everybody! Her writing style is that of an academic style. Of course, this is perfect if looking for a resource to use in a term paper or reading for an academic course. However, I doubt most people would read this book for their own pleasure or incite! This is a shame because this book is full of information,incite and connotations which make for enlightened confabulation. This is...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

I love bell hooks. After I read her essay Understanding Patriarchy, my view changed drastically. Feminism is for Everybody is no different. She addressed the flaws of contemporary feminism with ease and full knowledge. Indeed, if you want a book to pull out from your closet every time someone asked you what feminism is, this is the perfect book for that. Precisely written, without censorship and basically called out the mistakes white feminists did within and outside of this movement.

White Supr...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Kim rated it 3 of 5 stars

I love the way hooks blends the personal and political in her writing so anything by her is usually a good read for me. That said, I don't know that this book will convince skeptics. Those in a position of privilege may be put on the defensive. The problem is that this is exactly her point - by trying to mainstream, feminist movement has compromised its principles.

What it does do very well is emphasize the importance of intersectional identity and the need for radical change for an audience who...more

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About Bell Hooks

bell hooks (born Gloria Jean Watkins) is an African-American author, feminist, and social activist. Her writing has focused on the interconnectivity of race, class, and gender and their ability to produce and perpetuate systems of oppression and domination. She has published over thirty books and numerous scholarly and mainstream articles, appeared in several documentary films and participated in...more

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Books by Bell Hooks

Ain't I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism

Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom

All About Love: New Visions (bell hooks Love Trilogy)

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“If any female feels she need anything beyond herself to legitimate and validate her existence, she is already giving away her power to be self-defining, her agency.” — 98 people liked it

“In a culture which holds the two-parent patriarchal family in higher esteem than any other arrangement, all children feel emotionally insecure when their family does not measure up to the standard. A utopian vision of the patriarchal family remains intact despite all the evidence which proves that the well-being of children is no more secure in the dysfunctional male-headed household than in the dysfunctional female-headed household. Children need to be raised in loving environments. Whenever domination is present love is lacking. Loving parents, be they single or coupled, gay or straight, headed by females or males, are more likely to raise healthy, happy children with sound self-esteem. In future feminist movement we need to work harder to show parents the ways ending sexism positively changes family life. Feminist movement is pro-family. Ending patriarchal domination of children, by men or women, is the only way to make the family a place where children can be safe, where they can be free, where they can know love” — 19 people liked it

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