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Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot
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Today's feminist movement has a glaring blind spot, and paradoxically, it is women. Mainstream feminists rarely talk about meeting basic needs as a feminist issue, argues Mikki Kendall, but food insecurity, access to quality education, safe neighborhoods, a living wage, and medical care are all feminist issues. All too often, however, the focus is not on basic survival for
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Hardcover, 288 pages
Published
March 3rd 2020
by Viking
(first published February 25th 2020)
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FOR YEARS YOUR PRIVILEGE HAS BEEN AN ENEMY TO MY RIGHT! YES YOU. CHECK. YOUR PRIVILEGE!
This book is not meant to be pretty or pleasant. It says what it says and it will call you out on your bullshit!
I will stress that this is a very important book that covers key issues for black people and black women most importantly because even within our own community we are still at the bottom of the food chain.
Its definitely not shocking to me and it's not news that mainstream feminism/feminist iconism w ...more
This book is not meant to be pretty or pleasant. It says what it says and it will call you out on your bullshit!
I will stress that this is a very important book that covers key issues for black people and black women most importantly because even within our own community we are still at the bottom of the food chain.
Its definitely not shocking to me and it's not news that mainstream feminism/feminist iconism w ...more

An engaging essay collection that I would recommend to those who want to learn more about intersectional feminism. Mikki Kendall does a great job of connecting feminism to topics such as the housing crisis, hunger, black women’s maternal health, and more, which often are ignored in a movement that centers cis, heterosexual white women. She dives deep into social issues like gun violence and poverty, thus providing us with a solid understanding of these issues, while always drawing connections to
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Really important thoughtful book on feminism and how women can do a better job at being more inclusive. I think this book is very educational and something everyone should take the time to read, I feel like I learned so much.

This should be absolutely required reading. For everyone.
Rarely in life do you find a work of nonfiction this short and this readable that is also so expansive, so all-encompassing, and so effective.
I really don't feel I need to use this review as a space to say anything more than PLEASE READ THIS, but I will explain briefly why this isn't quite 5 stars:
This book spends more time and is more explicit in condemning the words of Bernie Sanders supporters than it is of those of Trump supporters or ...more
Rarely in life do you find a work of nonfiction this short and this readable that is also so expansive, so all-encompassing, and so effective.
I really don't feel I need to use this review as a space to say anything more than PLEASE READ THIS, but I will explain briefly why this isn't quite 5 stars:
This book spends more time and is more explicit in condemning the words of Bernie Sanders supporters than it is of those of Trump supporters or ...more

"For a movement that is meant to represent all women, it often centers on those who already have most of their needs met."
...more
![Ariel [She Wants the Diction]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1578787871p2/9958316.jpg)
This was a good book, but I had trouble finishing it. The reasons for that, however, are mostly personal. I'm a black feminist, and most of this book is focused on educating white feminists on issues they may not typically consider feminist or associate with the feminist movement - such as housing, food, and education. Kendall makes the argument that all these needs are feminist causes that need addressing, especially in poor communities/hoods where survival is paramount. I agree with almost eve
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The best feminism book I've yet to read
I haven't read a lot of books on feminism (14 on my shelf) so perhaps it's too soon to make the assertion this is the best. I can say though, that of the books I have read, this is by far the best.
Mikki Kendall is a brilliant writer, eloquent and passionate and intelligent. She points out all the (many) ways traditional feminism is lacking, how it has commonly worked for the needs of middle- and upper-class straight cisgender white women while excluding eve ...more
I haven't read a lot of books on feminism (14 on my shelf) so perhaps it's too soon to make the assertion this is the best. I can say though, that of the books I have read, this is by far the best.
Mikki Kendall is a brilliant writer, eloquent and passionate and intelligent. She points out all the (many) ways traditional feminism is lacking, how it has commonly worked for the needs of middle- and upper-class straight cisgender white women while excluding eve ...more

Do you the know the word intersectionality? Do you know the definition? Because if you don't I need you to read this book and even if you think you know what it means READ THIS BOOK. It's so easy to classify yourself as a feminist BUT does your idea of feminism really address ALL women specifically BLACK women? Last year I was luck enough to receive a copy of Mikki Kendall's graphic novel which I still haven't had the opportunity to read; however, the moment I saw that she was coming out with th
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An intelligent, insightful read.
It made me more aware of my own ignorance as a white female living in Australia - so many of these things I hadn't even considered - and it made me feel a little ashamed, to be honest.
That being said, the point of this book is not to shame, but to educate. She talks about issues that feminism supposedly tackles and then describes how badly feminism is missing the mark when it comes to women of colour. Apparently racism is more powerful than misogyny. I'm very voca ...more
It made me more aware of my own ignorance as a white female living in Australia - so many of these things I hadn't even considered - and it made me feel a little ashamed, to be honest.
That being said, the point of this book is not to shame, but to educate. She talks about issues that feminism supposedly tackles and then describes how badly feminism is missing the mark when it comes to women of colour. Apparently racism is more powerful than misogyny. I'm very voca ...more

This was an okay read. I follow Kendall on Twitter and I think that it's a better medium for her than a full-length book on social issues. Although I agree with the vast majority of her political stances and her critique of mainstream feminism for ignoring the needs of women of color, I think she's concocted a bit of a straw man (woman?) in her conception of "white feminism" here. This term is thrown around very loosely throughout the book, almost to the point at which there is little to no dist
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Feb 02, 2021
Olivia (Stories For Coffee)
added it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audiobook,
nonfiction
Everyone needs to read/listen to this book.
Everyone.
Everyone.

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women White Feminists Forgot is a much needed check for white women who claim to be feminist.
”Instead of a framework that focuses on helping women get basic needs met, all too often the focus is not on survival but on increasing privilege. For a movement that is meant to represent all women, it often centers on those who already have most of their needs met.”
It’s more than having a seat at the table or being paid the same as your male colleagues — Basic needs like ...more
”Instead of a framework that focuses on helping women get basic needs met, all too often the focus is not on survival but on increasing privilege. For a movement that is meant to represent all women, it often centers on those who already have most of their needs met.”
It’s more than having a seat at the table or being paid the same as your male colleagues — Basic needs like ...more

Jan 30, 2021
Jessica
added it
This book was great! It's my goal to read more non-fiction in 2021 and I'm so happy I started with this one. My favorite section was the one about education (I'm a teacher, so that hit close to home). I definitely recommend picking this up! It took me awhile to get through because the information is less narrative and more packed with information, but taking it in slowly is allowed me to think more about the content while I was reading it, which I enjoyed. The author is not afraid to be blunt an
...more

Sometimes being a good ally is about opening the door for someone instead of insisting that your voice is the only one that matters.
...
Sometimes solidarity is just that simple; step up, reach back and keep pushing forward.
This book has given me a heck of a lot to think about. Breaking feminism down to its barebones and highlighting how it impacts so much more than women in the workplace. I am inordinately privileged to have grown up where hunger, housing and gun violence have not impacted my lif ...more
...
Sometimes solidarity is just that simple; step up, reach back and keep pushing forward.
This book has given me a heck of a lot to think about. Breaking feminism down to its barebones and highlighting how it impacts so much more than women in the workplace. I am inordinately privileged to have grown up where hunger, housing and gun violence have not impacted my lif ...more

One of the biggest issues with mainstream feminist writing has been the way the idea of what constitutes a feminist issue is framed. We rarely talk about basic needs as a feminist issue. Food insecurity and access to quality education, safe neighborhoods, a living wage, and medical care are all feminist issues. Instead of a framework that focuses on helping women get basic needs met, all too often the focus is not on survival but on increasing privilege. For a movement that is meant to repres...more

In a world of #girlboss bullshit and emphasis on if we have enough female CEOs running problematic Fortune 500 companies, Mikki Kendall's Hood Feminism is a beacon of light with a simple message: If your feminism isn't actively centering and loudly fighting for the most marginalized people in our society first and foremost, that feminism is incredibly privileged, white, and performative.
I can only speak for my own identities, so if you're a white woman who considers yourself a feminist, do yours ...more
I can only speak for my own identities, so if you're a white woman who considers yourself a feminist, do yours ...more

Feb 25, 2021
Alice Lippart
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
non-fiction,
read-in-2021
Educational and eye-opening.

What I do have is a deep desire to move the conversation about solidarity and the feminist movement in a direction that recognizes that an intersectional approach to feminism is key to improving relationships between communities of women, so that some measure of true solidarity can happen. Erasure is not equality, least of all in a movement that draws much of its strength from the claim that it represents over half of the world’s population.
Listen Mikki Kendall did not come to play with y'all ...more
Listen Mikki Kendall did not come to play with y'all ...more

Hood Feminism unpacks the problems with a mainstream feminism that centers white women while excluding or even harming many women of color and women who are not middle class or wealthy. Issue by issue, it paints a picture of what true intersectional feminism might look like, focusing on serious concerns that have a serious impact on women and children. From gun violence and a more comprehensive approach to reproductive justice, to food and housing security and the ways that racism and white femi
...more

4 stars
This is a book that I think is important for all women to read. Definitely thought provoking and eye-opening. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook. It talked a lot about the groups left behind in feminism and the parts of it that aren’t recognized as they should be. I’m glad I picked this one up!
This is a book that I think is important for all women to read. Definitely thought provoking and eye-opening. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook. It talked a lot about the groups left behind in feminism and the parts of it that aren’t recognized as they should be. I’m glad I picked this one up!
Audio book source: Libby (borrow)
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Mikki Kendall
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Non-fiction
Length: 6 hours and 57 minutes

I think this is necessary reading for anyone who considers themself a feminist.

I really enjoyed listening to this book. I feel a lot of "feminists" need to listen to or read this book because it points out all the people modern day feminism leaves out. Very informative and made me think about my own perspective on things. I started to wonder how I would react if I was the "white woman" in these situations and I hope I come out on the side of ally. All white women need to work on being better allies, myself included.
...more

Mar 07, 2020
Ivonne Rovira
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Ivonne by:
NetGalley
Mikki Henderson does a good job of pointing out how often “feminism” means more rights for upper-middle-class working women who need nannies, while forgotten African-American women, lesbians, transgendered women and working-class women of all races. Issues that are definitely feminist ones — housing, living wages, food security and more — are thought of as labor issues when we should instead operate from a mindset of intersectionality.
I enjoyed Hood Feminism, but I didn’t find it as inspiring as ...more
I enjoyed Hood Feminism, but I didn’t find it as inspiring as ...more

Thank you Penguin Group and Netgalley for the advance copy of this book, which will be released 2/25/20.
This book is important. It’s not always pleasant. It calls you on your shit. But more people should read it. It serves as a reminder that feminist issues include things like food insecurity, access to quality education, a living wage, and medical care. The book discusses how gun violence, mental health, education, and poverty are all feminist issues and frames them as racial and socio-economi ...more
This book is important. It’s not always pleasant. It calls you on your shit. But more people should read it. It serves as a reminder that feminist issues include things like food insecurity, access to quality education, a living wage, and medical care. The book discusses how gun violence, mental health, education, and poverty are all feminist issues and frames them as racial and socio-economi ...more

Truly a refreshing voice in Black feminism. Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall (@vikingbooks #partner) is a collection of essays where she takes aim at the legitimacy of the modern feminist movement arguing that it has chronically failed to address the needs of all but a few women.⠀
⠀
She draws on her own experiences with hunger, eating disorder, violence, hyper sexualization along with commentary that makes all of the essays so strong. My favorite essays ...more
⠀
She draws on her own experiences with hunger, eating disorder, violence, hyper sexualization along with commentary that makes all of the essays so strong. My favorite essays ...more

It's not a question of, 'Why can't they do what you do?' It's a question of, 'Why can't we give everyone else the same support and access?'
I wish I could quote this whole book, but instead I'll give you ^ that one ^ and say: for as short as this book is, Mikki touches on a LOT of different topics, all tied together as feminist issues often ignored by mainstream feminism. I was all-in on every essay because even if this stuff doesn't specifically pertain to me (and sometimes it doesn't), I guaran ...more
I wish I could quote this whole book, but instead I'll give you ^ that one ^ and say: for as short as this book is, Mikki touches on a LOT of different topics, all tied together as feminist issues often ignored by mainstream feminism. I was all-in on every essay because even if this stuff doesn't specifically pertain to me (and sometimes it doesn't), I guaran ...more

Dec 29, 2020
Olivia
added it
"There's nothing feminist about having so many resources at your fingertips and choosing to be ignorant. Nothing enlightening or empowering in deciding intent trumps impact. Especially when the consequences are not going to be experienced by you."
I think this book drives home the point that if your brand of feminism isn't intersectional.... you can keep it. Leave it in 2020/the trash while we all blissfully go to 2021/progress LOL. I think this reads as an accessible and near introductory book ...more
I think this book drives home the point that if your brand of feminism isn't intersectional.... you can keep it. Leave it in 2020/the trash while we all blissfully go to 2021/progress LOL. I think this reads as an accessible and near introductory book ...more

Aug 23, 2020
Renee // Feminist Book Club Box and Podcast
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
feminist-book-club
Absolutely must be required reading for anyone who calls themself a feminist. Read the last chapter twice and then the last 3 pages at least 3 times more.

Nov 10, 2020
Meagan ✊🏼 Blacklivesmatter ✊🏼Blacktranslivesmatter
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
the-black-experience,
black-authors
9/12 for my non-fiction challenge
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Challenge Corner: Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot--Starting March 6th, 2021 | 14 | 4 | Mar 12, 2021 11:07AM | |
Goodreads Librari...: Merge help (Q from librarian) | 2 | 28 | Oct 20, 2020 03:12PM |
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“One of the biggest issues with mainstream feminist writing has been the way the idea of what constitutes a feminist issue is framed. We rarely talk about basic needs as a feminist issue. Food insecurity and access to quality education, safe neighborhoods, a living wage, and medical care are all feminist issues. Instead of a framework that focuses on helping women get basic needs met, all too often the focus is not on survival but on increasing privilege. For a movement that is meant to represent all women, it often centers on those who already have most of their needs met.”
—
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“No woman has to be respectable to be valuable.”
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